Hamas indefinitely suspended the next hostage releases mandated in its cease-fire deal with Israel, the terrorist group’s spokesman Abu Obeida said on Monday. The next three hostages were due to be released on Saturday.

Abu Obeida, whose real name is Hudhaifa Kahlout, claimed that “Israeli violations” were the reason for the pause. He referred to the delay in allowing Gazans to return to northern Gaza, which Israel pushed off for a day because Hamas postponed a previous release of hostages. He also claimed Israel blocked humanitarian aid to Gaza and called for “retroactive compensation.”

The announcement came after Israeli negotiators returned on Monday morning from Doha, where they discussed what an Israeli diplomatic source said were “technical aspects” of Phase 1 of the hostage-release and cease-fire deal. Israel had hoped to extend the current stage of the deal — which involves a weekly release of hostages in exchange for many more Palestinian prisoners — in order to maximize the number of living hostages freed as soon as possible. 

Israel’s position on the second phase of the agreement remained unclear and its negotiators had yet to move on to that part of the deal, though those discussions were supposed to begin last week, according to the agreement. Major points of friction pertaining to the second phase are the demands to permanently end fighting in Gaza and for a full withdrawal by the Israeli army from the territory.

Hamas released three hostages on Saturday — Ohad Ben Ami, Eli Sharabi and Or Levy — who had been starved and were in a weakened state. Reports have since come out that, in addition to malnourishment leading to severe weight loss, Hamas tortured the hostages, including binding them in chains, rendering them unable to stand or walk, keeping them in dark tunnels and not allowing them to relieve themselves or shower for long periods of time. Some had been beaten and burned, and had not received medical treatment for wounds from the Oct. 7 attacks.

Seventeen more hostages, including nine living and eight dead, were expected to be released in this round of the hostage-release and cease-fire deal. A total of 76 hostages currently remain in Gaza.

Israeli Prime Minster Benjamin Netanyahu held security consultations on Monday evening and moved up a Tuesday evening security cabinet meeting to Tuesday morning to address Hamas’ delay.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz instructed the IDF to be on high alert on Monday, following the announcement.

“Hamas’ announcement is a total violation of the cease-fire agreement and hostage release deal,” Katz stated. “I instructed the IDF to be prepared at the highest level of alertness for any possible scenario in Gaza and to defend the [Israeli] towns. We will not allow a return to the Oct. 7 reality.” 

Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Chairman Yuli Edelstein said that “Hamas must understand that every violation of the cease-fire deal has consequences and the price that this terrorist organization will pay will be painful and heavy. We want all of our hostages home. If Hamas won’t understand with words, it will understand with actions.”

Reacting to pictures of the emaciated hostages released the day before, President Donald Trump told reporters on Sunday, “They literally look like the old pictures of Holocaust survivors. … I don’t know how long we’re gonna take that.”

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum released a statement following Hamas’ announcement, saying that they “urgently requested assistance from the mediating countries to help restore and implement the existing deal effectively. We stand with the Israeli government and encourage maintaining the conditions that will ensure the successful continuation of the agreement, leading to the safe return of our 76 brothers and sisters.”

“Recent evidence from those released, as well as the shocking conditions of the hostages released last Saturday, leaves no room for doubt — time is of the essence, and all hostages must be urgently rescued from this horrific situation,” the forum stated.