Tehran, IRNA – The Palestinian resistance movement Hamas says Israel is ditching the implementation of the Gaza ceasefire with the unwavering support of U.S. President Donald Trump.
“The occupation has violated the ceasefire’s clauses, from implementing the humanitarian aid protocol to not withdrawing from the Philadelphi [Corridor] and not entering negotiations for the second phase of the deal,” Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem said, according to Shehab news agency.
He added that the occupying regime is seeking to take advantage of the conditions that Trump has provided for them through the scheme to displace Gaza residents and threaten Hamas.
Early on Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said that the regime will adopt the proposal put forward by Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, for an extension of the ceasefire in Gaza.
In response, senior Hamas official Mahmoud Mardawi said that the move was a clear affirmation that Israel was disavowing the deals it previously signed.
“The only way to achieve stability in the region and the return of the prisoners is to complete the implementation of the agreement... starting with the implementation of the second phase,” Mardawi said in a statement shared with AFP.
U.N. chief urges parties to find a way forward
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres also reacted to the developments, stressing the importance of preventing a return to war, which he described as potentially catastrophic.
“The past six weeks have provided a fragile but vital reprieve, offering a measure of relief to both Palestinians and Israelis,” Guterres said in a statement released on Saturday.
He called on all parties to exercise maximum restraint and to find a way forward on the next phase of the ceasefire.
“A permanent ceasefire and the release of all [prisoners] are essential to preventing escalation and averting more devastating consequences for civilians,” the U.N. chief added.
The Israeli regime and Hamas announced a three-phase ceasefire deal on January 15, following U.N.-endorsed indirect negotiations between the two sides.
Hamas has repeatedly said that it remains committed to the negotiations for the second phase of the deal, asserting that Israel has “no choice” but to engage in talks.
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