UPDATE - Hamas says Israel strikes place where female hostage set for release was present

UPDATES WITH MORE DETAILS, CHANGES HEADLINE, DECK

By Rania Abu Shamala

ISTANBUL (AA) – The Israeli army struck a place where a female captive, who was to be released in the first phase of the Gaza cease-fire deal, was present, Hamas said on Thursday.

“Any aggression and shelling at this stage by the (Israeli) enemy could turn the freedom of a prisoner into a tragedy,” Abu Obaida, spokesman of the resistance group's armed wing, the Qassam Brigades, said in a brief statement.

He, however, did not provide any details on the condition of the Israeli captive.

Qatar announced on Wednesday a cease-fire agreement to end over 15 months of deadly Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip, where nearly 46,800 people, mostly women and children, have been killed since the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attacks.

The three-phase deal, set to come into effect on Sunday, includes a prisoner exchange and sustained calm, aiming for a permanent truce and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.

Under the first phase of the agreement, 33 Israeli captives are set to be released in exchange for a number of Palestinian prisoners.

The Israeli war on Gaza has also caused widespread destruction and a humanitarian crisis in the enclave.

In November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.