Hamas suspends hostage releases, claiming Israel violated cease-fire

Feb. 10 (UPI) -- Hamas said on Monday that it was suspending the next round of hostage releases on Friday until further notice because of what it called violations by Israel of the cease-fire agreement.

In a Telegram post, Hamas said that Israel is preventing supplies from reaching the Gaza Strip and not allowing Palestinians to return to areas of Gaza.

One Israeli official told the Jerusalem Post that the country has not violated the deal, calling the accusation "fake."

"Over the past three weeks, the leadership of the resistance has monitored the enemy's violations and its failure to comply with the terms of the agreement," Hamas said in a statement, according to BBC News.

"These violations include delaying the return of displaced persons to northern Gaza, targeting them with shelling and gunfire in various areas of the Strip, and failing to allow the entry of humanitarian aid in all its agreed-upon forms. Meanwhile, the resistance has fully honored its commitments."

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said its military has been placed on its highest alert since Hamas's announcement and will be ready to protect Israel.

To date, 16 of the 33 hostages set to be released in the first 42 days of the deal have been sent home with Israel releasing hundreds of prisoners and detainees in return.