Sami Abu Zuhri, a senior Hamas leader, has accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of undermining the Gaza agreement and putting the fate of prisoners at risk.
Abu Zuhri described Israel’s decision to halt the entry of humanitarian aid and goods into the Gaza Strip as a “war crime”.
Speaking to Sputnik, he stated that Israel is using collective punishment against Palestinian civilians to impose its conditions.
“We affirm that these pressures are meaningless, and we will not allow the occupation to impose a new format that goes beyond the signed agreement,” he added.
Abu Zuhri stressed that “the prisoners can only be freed if both sides honour the signed agreement, which the Israeli government has approved.”
Meanwhile, Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem confirmed that negotiations with the movement regarding the second phase of the Gaza agreement are not currently taking place. He held Israel responsible for the delay in launching these talks.
In a statement, Qassem said: “Israel seeks to recover its prisoners while maintaining the possibility of resuming aggression against Gaza.”
Tel Aviv, he added, is “evading its commitments to end the war and fully withdraw from the Strip.”
He also rejected Israel’s proposed extension of the first phase of the agreement, saying, “The format Israel is suggesting is unacceptable to Hamas.”
Qassem accused Israel of trying to reset the situation to the starting point by “mixing the cards”. He stressed that “the movement will not accept any format that contradicts the interests of the Palestinian people.”
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