Israel's defence minister on Sunday said the army had "evacuated" three refugee camps in the north of the occupied West Bank and had been ordered to remain there for the coming year "to prevent the return of residents".

"So far, 40,000 Palestinians have evacuated from the refugee camps of Jenin, Tulkarm, and Nur Shams, which are now empty of residents," Israel Katz said in a statement. "I have instructed (troops) to prepare for a prolonged presence in the cleared camps for the coming year and to prevent the return of residents and the resurgence of terrorism," he added.

It marks the first time tanks have operated in the Palestinian territory since the end of the second intifada, or uprising, in 2005.

Meanwhile, Hamas accused Israel of placing the Gaza truce in grave danger after the government delayed release of Palestinian prisoners due to be freed after militants released six hostages a day earlier.

"What the enemy government is doing by postponing the release of our prisoners according to the agreement is behaving like thugs and exposes the entire agreement to grave danger," senior Hamas official Bassem Naim told AFP, calling on the mediators, "especially the United States" to pressure Israel "to implement the agreement as it is and immediately release this batch of prisoners."

Yair Golan, the leader of the Democrats in Israel, says his party has been warning that the Israeli prime minister would torpedo the Gaza ceasefire.

“Netanyahu ordered the delay in the release of the terrorists, openly violating the deal and blowing up Phase A,” he said in a post on X in reference to more than 600 Palestinian prisoners that Israel was obligated to release as part of the deal, including many women and girls taken from Gaza.

“There are no real negotiations on Phase B, just spin and the neglect of the hostages’ lives.” (Agencies)