Hamas urges Israel to implement terms of ceasefire in full
Abdul Latif al-Qanou, a spokesman for Hamas, says Israel’s “commitment to the remaining terms of the agreement and the implementation of the humanitarian protocol” would guarantee the completion of the future captive-prisoner exchange operations.
He said in a statement on Telegram: “33 days have passed since the first phase started without the occupation completing the full implementation of the terms of the agreement.”
“The situation in Gaza is catastrophic, which requires mediators to pressure the occupation to implement the humanitarian protocol and provide our people with shelter and relief supplies,” the spokesman added.
Netanyahu not interested in phase two of ceasefire: Israeli ex-official
The ceasefire in Gaza has been fragile, but it has also mostly held and the exchanges worked, says Alon Pinkas, former ambassador and consul general of Israel in New York.
He added that the fact that the first phase held does not necessarily bode well for the more challenging second phase.
“The reason is that Netanyahu is not interested in phase two. This phase will include Israeli force reduction in Gaza on day 42, which is a week from now. On day 50, it includes not just a force reduction, but a withdrawal,” Pinkas told Al Jazeera from Tel Aviv.
He said the ceasefire will turn from a cessation of hostilities, as it is known now, to an end to the war, which is not something the Israeli prime minister favours.
“Politically, he can afford neither the withdrawal nor the official end of the war,” he said.
Pinkas pointed out that according to the agreement, if phase two is not implemented, then phase one automatically continues.
“But only the ceasefire aspect continues, not the exchanges or the force reduction or eventual withdrawal, which all bodes badly for the durability of the ceasefire.”
Netanyahu, his government playing ‘dirty games’ on second phase: Hamas
Basem Naim, a senior member of Hamas political bureau, reminds that negotiations for the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire were supposed to start on day 16 of the first phase, and continue up to the moment all points of the second phase were agreed upon.
“Unfortunately, Netanyahu and his government have been rejecting to engage with the second phase while only one week is left from the first phase. We believe that again, these are dirty games from the right-wing government to sabotage and undermine the deal and to send a message of willingness to go back to war,” he told Al Jazeera.
He said Hamas remains committed to the deal, and has abided by its obligations under the deal, while it has met violations of the first phase and rejection to take part in the second phase.
“Over 100 Palestinians have been killed in the first phase, much of the agreed humanitarian aid was not allowed into Gaza, and the withdrawal from the Netzarim Corridor was postponed,” Naim said.
