A ceasefire deal has been agreed

Should never have taken them in the first place.

I think they should just release the people that they shouldn't have taken in the first place. The farce that has been the release of hostages with cheering and celebrations including over a mother and her babies and an old man should not have been allowed. Dragging the release on rather than doing the right thing and releasing them all should have taken place a long time ago. When did terrorists get to decide when to do things.

With Trump as POTUS he stated hexwanted the hostages released straight away and hamas ignored that.

Hamas didn't refuse to release the hostages. Israel refused to go to the second stage of the ceasefire.

Why didn't they just move on to the second phase as was negotiated and agreed before the initial ceasefire?

Trump has made repeated calls for Hamas to release all hostages. I did expect eventually a renewal of the conflict since they have refused that.

A senior hamas commander has been killed but also so many innocents, this is sad.

The Israeli military says it is carrying out "extensive strikes" in the Gaza Strip, with the Hamas-run health ministry reporting that at least 220 Palestinians have been killed.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it was targeting what it called "terror targets" belonging to Hamas.

Mahmoud Abu Wafah, the deputy interior minister in Gaza and the highest-ranking Hamas security official in the territory, has reportedly been killed in a strike.

This is the largest wave of airstrikes in Gaza since the ceasefire began on 19 January. Talks to extend the Gaza ceasefire have failed to reach an agreement.

Many people were having their pre-dawn meal, due to it being the holy month of Ramadan, when explosions started in Gaza, witnesses say.

More than 20 Israeli war planes flew over, they said. The planes then began to hit targets in Gaza City, Rafah and Khan Younis.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz ordered the strikes on Tuesday morning, according to a statement from the PM's office.

"This follows Hamas's repeated refusal to release our hostages, as well as its rejection of all of the proposals it has received from US Presidential Envoy Steve Witkoff and from the mediators," it said.

"Israel will, from now on, act against Hamas with increasing military strength," it added.

The plan for the strikes "was presented by the IDF over the weekend and approved by the political leadership", it said.

Israel's Ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, warned Hamas to release all the hostages, stating "we will show no mercy on our enemies".

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c9vy3k4dpz0o

Over a hundred killed in one night already

It's horrific! Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi rajiun!

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c9vy3k4dpz0o

Around a 150 Palestinians have been killed since the start of the ceasefire

A team of charity workers has been killed in Israeli strikes in northern Gaza, the UK-registered Al Khair Foundation has told the BBC.
The charity said eight people - including its volunteers and independent journalists documenting their activities - were killed when their vehicles were targeted on Saturday in what Hamas described as a "blatant violation" of the ceasefire agreement with Israel.

What ceasefire? Almost daily strikes in Gaza are still continuing including targeting aid workers

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c20d4ylyx57o.amp

I see. We were talking about different things. Thanks for explaining.

Totally agree with your comments on the exchange. I was referring to what is happening to the ordinary people living in Gaza

I wasn't talking about ordinary citizens. I was referring to the ceasefire and the exchange of hostages for prisoners and detainees.

Oh dear.

You know that I meant prisoners who have been tried and convicted of crimes, eg terrorists, murderers etc. The ones who are being released in greater numbers for hostages!

The general public in Gaza are held in an open air prison by Israel. Children, students, families who have done nothing wrong other than being in Gaza.

Detainees no, they need either charging and then a trial or release.

Prisoners who have been tried and convicted are completely different though.

Hostages are innocent victims. All should be immediately released.

There is no equivalency in the two situations you have described.

There is no justification for Hamas holding any hostages nor is there any justification for Israel treating the Palestinians as prisoners. Neither life is worth more than the other.

This point has nothing to do with the hostages. There is no equivalency or justification.

It is believed that Hamas is still holding up to 24 living hostages in Gaza and the remains of 35 others.

As indirect talks continued on Friday, the group said in a statement it was ready to release the last living Israeli-American hostage it is known to be holding.

Edan Alexander, 21, was serving as an Israeli soldier close to Gaza when he was taken.

Under the terms of the original ceasefire agreement, it was expected that he would have been among the last hostages to be released.

The group also said it would hand over the remains of four other dual nationals captured during the 7 October 2023 attacks.

It did not give further details or make clear what it would demand in return.

Witkoff dismissed the offer, saying Hamas was trying to appear flexible in public while being impractical in private.

US accuses Hamas of making impractical demands

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cr7230vrkmko