"Israeli" captive announced dead: Hebrew media

"Israeli" military and authorities in Kibbutz Kissufim announced on Tuesday the death of Shlomo Mantzur, who was reportedly killed and then held captive by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023, for 494 days in Gaza – according to the Jerusalem Post.

In response, the families of "Israeli" captives in Gaza issued a statement, saying, "The captives in Gaza are starving and facing death. We must implement the entire agreement and bring them all back immediately."

The families also criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, stating, "Shlomo Mantzur should have been returned long ago for burial, but Netanyahu is preoccupied with obstructing the deal."

On Tuesday morning, families of the captives, alongside activists, blocked Highway 1 en route to Jerusalem, demanding that negotiations for their release continue.

Protesters urged the "Israeli" government to send a delegation to Doha with a full mandate to negotiate the second phase of the deal ahead of an upcoming security cabinet meeting.

"We demand that the prime minister stop sabotaging the agreement. Netanyahu has prolonged this process for months. It is now clear that political considerations drive him, and he is actively undermining the deal,” the families said in a statement.

Read more: Abu Obaida: Hamas to delay release of 'Israeli' captives over agreement violations

Earlier on Monday, Hamas' military spokesperson, Abu Obaida, announced that the planned captive handover would be postponed until further notice due to continued violations by the "Israeli" military.

He accused "Israel" of failing to adhere to the agreement, citing delays in the return of displaced Palestinians to northern Gaza, airstrikes, gunfire targeting civilians, and obstruction of humanitarian aid. He emphasized that "the resistance has honored all its commitments."

As a result, the release of "Israeli" captives, originally scheduled for Saturday, February 15, 2025, has been postponed.

Reacting to Hamas' statement, US President Donald Trump set a deadline for Saturday for all "Israeli" captives to be released from Gaza, warning that if the deadline is not met, "all hell" would break loose and he would call for the cancellation of the "Israel"-Hamas ceasefire.