Israel repeatedly delayed the start of talks for phase two of the ceasefire and is pushing to 'extend' phase one by an additional six weeks
Palestinian resistance movement Hamas announced on 1 March that it had rejected Israel's proposal to extend the first phase of the ceasefire in Gaza and confirmed that “no negotiations” are taking place regarding phase two.
“There are no negotiations with the movement regarding the second phase. The occupation bears the responsibility for not starting negotiations on the second phase of the Gaza agreement," Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem told Al-Arabi TV.
He also accused Tel Aviv of wanting to extend the first phase of the ceasefire to secure the release of more captives and then resume its ethnic cleansing campaign in Gaza. “The occupation is trying to return things to square one by shuffling the cards,” Qassem said, stressing that ”the formula proposed by the occupation is unacceptable to us.”
On Friday, Hamas said it “reaffirms its full commitment to implementing all terms of the agreement in all its stages and details” and called on the international community to pressure Israel to “immediately proceed to the second phase without any delay or evasion.”
During the first phase of the deal, which officially ended on Saturday, the Israeli government refused to allow adequate mobile homes and tents into Gaza, causing at least eight children to freeze to death. Tel Aviv also banned the entry of earthmoving equipment needed to remove the rubble from the roads and buildings.
“Ramadan has come this year, and we are on the streets with no shelter, no work, no money, nothing. My eight children and I are homeless. We live on Jabalia camp's streets with nothing but Allah's mercy," Ali Rajih, a resident of Jabalia in North Gaza, told Al Jazeera.
According to the terms of the US-sponsored ceasefire deal, phase two of the ceasefire includes Israel’s complete withdrawal from Gaza and the release of the remaining Israeli captives.
During the first phase, Hamas released 33 Israeli captives, including eight dead, while Israel freed around 1,700 Palestinian prisoners.
Israel recently imposed new conditions on the ceasefire agreement, demanding full disarmament of Hamas’s military wing and demands to maintain its military presence along the Philadelphi Corridor on Gaza’s border with Egypt.
A recent report by Haaretz revealed that “as far as [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu is concerned, there is no second stage” of the deal.
The report says Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer recently told US special envoy to West Asia Steve Witkoff that Netanyahu’s plan is "to return to intense warfare” and reimplement a “version” of the Generals’ Plan – which saw the expulsion of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians from north Gaza, the killing of thousands, and the destruction of the Gaza health sector.
“There are no negotiations with the movement regarding the second phase. The occupation bears the responsibility for not starting negotiations on the second phase of the Gaza agreement," Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem told Al-Arabi TV.
He also accused Tel Aviv of wanting to extend the first phase of the ceasefire to secure the release of more captives and then resume its ethnic cleansing campaign in Gaza. “The occupation is trying to return things to square one by shuffling the cards,” Qassem said, stressing that ”the formula proposed by the occupation is unacceptable to us.”
On Friday, Hamas said it “reaffirms its full commitment to implementing all terms of the agreement in all its stages and details” and called on the international community to pressure Israel to “immediately proceed to the second phase without any delay or evasion.”
During the first phase of the deal, which officially ended on Saturday, the Israeli government refused to allow adequate mobile homes and tents into Gaza, causing at least eight children to freeze to death. Tel Aviv also banned the entry of earthmoving equipment needed to remove the rubble from the roads and buildings.
“Ramadan has come this year, and we are on the streets with no shelter, no work, no money, nothing. My eight children and I are homeless. We live on Jabalia camp's streets with nothing but Allah's mercy," Ali Rajih, a resident of Jabalia in North Gaza, told Al Jazeera.
According to the terms of the US-sponsored ceasefire deal, phase two of the ceasefire includes Israel’s complete withdrawal from Gaza and the release of the remaining Israeli captives.
During the first phase, Hamas released 33 Israeli captives, including eight dead, while Israel freed around 1,700 Palestinian prisoners.
Israel recently imposed new conditions on the ceasefire agreement, demanding full disarmament of Hamas’s military wing and demands to maintain its military presence along the Philadelphi Corridor on Gaza’s border with Egypt.
A recent report by Haaretz revealed that “as far as [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu is concerned, there is no second stage” of the deal.
The report says Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer recently told US special envoy to West Asia Steve Witkoff that Netanyahu’s plan is "to return to intense warfare” and reimplement a “version” of the Generals’ Plan – which saw the expulsion of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians from north Gaza, the killing of thousands, and the destruction of the Gaza health sector.
No comments:
Post a Comment