Hamas was expected Friday to name three hostages it will release this weekend as part of a planned exchange for Palestinian prisoners, local media said, after days of uncertainty in which Israel threatened to scrap a nearly month-old Gaza ceasefire deal.

Israel warned Thursday that the Palestinian militants must release three living hostages this weekend or face a resumption of the war in Gaza, after Hamas said it would pause releases over apparent Israeli violations of the truce.

The January 19 ceasefire, which largely halted 15 months of fighting in Gaza, has been under heightened pressure since US President Donald Trump proposed a US takeover of the territory.

Israeli media reported Thursday that Hamas was set to name three hostages it would release on Saturday, after it reiterated its commitment to the ceasefire and to carrying out the next exchange "according to the specified timetable".

"We are keen to implement it (the ceasefire) and oblige the occupation to fully abide by it," Hamas spokesman Abdel Latif al-Qanou said, adding that mediators were pushing for Israel "to resume the exchange process on Saturday".

Israel had insisted Hamas release "three live........

© International Business Times