Hamas: No Current Negotiations on Second Phase of Ceasefire Agreement

Gaza (Quds News Network)- Hamas has denied current negotiations regarding the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement, accusing Israel of failing to initiate talks.

There have been reports that officials from Israel, Qatar, and the United States started on Thursday “intensive discussions” on the ceasefire’s second phase in Cairo.

“The mediators are also discussing ways to enhance the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, as part of efforts to alleviate the suffering of the population and support stability in the region,” said Egypt‘s state information service, according to the AP.

Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem told Al-Arabiya TV on Saturday that there “are currently no negotiations with the movement regarding the second phase.”

“The occupation is responsible for not starting the negotiations for the second phase of the Gaza agreement. The occupation wants to retrieve its captives with the possibility of resuming the aggression on the Gaza Strip. The occupation is evading its commitment to ending the war and withdrawing completely from Gaza,” he said.

On Friday, the group called on mediators and the international community to pressure Israel to move forward with the second phase, reaffirming its full commitment to implementing the deal amid reports that Israel seeks to extend the first phase.

“We urge the mediators, guarantors, and the international community to put pressure on the Israeli occupation to fully uphold its responsibilities under the agreement and to promptly proceed to the second phase without any delay,” it added.

An Israeli delegation in Cairo aims to negotiate to extend the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire deal by an additional 42 days, two Egyptian security sources reportedly said on Friday.

Hamas opposes the extension and insists on proceeding to the second phase of the deal as originally agreed, the sources told Reuters. The second phase is meant to include steps leading to a permanent end to the war.

The first phase of the ceasefire ended on Saturday. Two Israeli government officials had told Reuters that Israel was seeking to extend the initial phase, with Hamas releasing three captives each week in exchange for Palestinian detainees held in Israeli prisons.