‘We already live in hell’: Gazans react to Trump hostage deadline threat

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Hamas said Thursday that it will release hostages on the previously agreed upon timeline as part of its fragile ceasefire with Israel, in a reversal of its previous warning that it would indefinitely postpone hostage-prisoner swaps.

The Palestinian militant organization, which made the threat after accusing Israel of violating the terms of their three-week-old ceasefire, said in an official statement released on its website that it will "continue its position of implementing the agreement according to what was signed, including the exchange of prisoners according to the specified schedule."

Hamas added that it would continue to release Israeli hostages this week — it is scheduled to release three more captives this Saturday — after a "positive spirit prevailed in the discussions" with mediator nations Qatar and Egypt about maintaining the truce with Israel that this week has been tested to its limit.

Senior Hamas official Bassem Naim told NBC News early Thursday there were “positive signs of an agreement” on maintaining the integrity of the ceasefire.

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