Israel-Hamas conflict: Benjamin Netanyahu orders Mossad to act against Hamas terrorists globally

Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday ordered Mossad, the Israeli spy agency, to track down Hamas terrorists all around the world. Most of Hamas' top leaders live in exile, mainly in Qatar and Beirut, the capital of Lebanon. 

"I have instructed the Mossad to act against the heads of Hamas, wherever they are," Netanyahu said at a press conference. Netanyahu's comments came after Israel's national security advisor  Tzachi Hanegbi said that the release of 50 Israeli hostages under a temporary deal between with Hamas will not take place before Friday. 

"The negotiations on the release of our hostages are advancing and continuing constantly," Hanegbi said in a statement from the Israel Prime Minister's Office. "The start of the release will take place according to the original agreement between the sides, and not before Friday," it further read. 

Israeli public broadcaster Kan said citing a source from Israeli PMO that there was a 24-hour delay in the truce since the agreement was not signed by Hamas and Qatar, which is acting as the mediator. The source noted that they were optimistic the agreement would be materialised when it was signed. 

"No one said there would be a release tomorrow except the media.... We had to make it clear that no release is planned before Friday, because of the uncertainty that hostages' families are facing," the Israeli public broadcaster said citing a source aware of the matter. 

Not only Israeli national security advisor, White House also said that the release of hostages will not happen before Friday. White House spokesperson Adrienne Watson said that final details for the release are still being worked out. 

"That is on track and we are hopeful that implementation will begin on Friday morning," Watson was quoted as saying by news agency Reuters. Israel and Hamas leaders agreed on Wednesday to a pause in fighting for four days to free 50 hostages held by Hamas in exchange for around 150 Palestinians jailed in Israel. 

Most of the prisoners held in Israel are from the West Bank and Jerusalem regions. They were held for crimes including attempted stabbings, making explosives, damaging property, hurling stones at Israeli soldiers and having contacts with hostile organisations. 

After the hostage deal was finalised with Hamas, Netanyahu said he told US President Joe Biden that he would continue with Israel's war against Hamas after the four-day pause in fighting. "I want to be clear. The war is continuing. The war is continuing. We will continue it until we achieve all our goals," he said. 

(With inputs from Reuters)

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