Hamas accused the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of having sabotaged the cease-fire agreement of Gaza, saying that the Israeli government does not engage in negotiations for the second phase of the agreement due to The end of March 1.
The details of the second and third phases of the agreement, although designed to be designed in principle, were to be negotiated during the first phase of six weeks, which saw the release of Israeli captives in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, the withdrawal Partial of Israeli Gaza troops and the delivery of aid in the enclave devastated by the 15 months of non-stop Israeli bombardment. According to the agreement, which began on January 19, the second phase, if finalized, would see the release of all Israeli captives and a permanent ceasefire.
“We think that once, these are dirty games of the right -wing government to sabotage and undermine the agreement and send a message of will to return to war,” said Basem Naim, main member of the Hamas Political Bureau , in Tel Aviv Tribune on Saturday.
He said that the Palestinian group which governs Gaza remains attached to the agreement and respected its obligations under the agreement.
He accused Israel of having violated the terms of the agreement. “More than 100 Palestinians were killed in the first phase, a large part of the agreed humanitarian aid was not authorized in Gaza, and the withdrawal of the Netzarim corridor (the militarized zone which divides Gaza in north and south ) has been postponed, “said Naim.
Earlier this month, Israeli officials confirmed to the New York Times that Hamas’ complaints against the violations of Israel of the agreement were exact. But the Israeli government has officially denied them.
As part of the ceasefire agreement, Israel had agreed to authorize 60,000 mobile houses and 200,000 tents in Gaza, but this requirement was not met. More than 90% of the 2.4 million Gaza Palestinians were moved and large expanses of the enclave were transformed into rubble.
Israel has killed more than 48,319 Palestinians since its launch of its offensive on October 7, 2023. The government’s media office in Gaza says that more than 13,000 people missing under the rubble are presumed to be dead. At least 1,139 people were killed and some 240 people were caught in captivity during the attack on October 7, 2023 by Hamas.
“Netanyahu is not interested in phase two”
Netanyahu threatened to resume war against Gaza and said he was “engaged” in an American proposal to “take over” of the enclave and move his Palestinian residents. Trump now seems to have moved away from this plan.
The Israeli chief said on several occasions that he was determined to achieve the objectives of the war in Gaza, in particular by destroying the military and governing capacities of Hamas in the region. His cabinet has not yet voted to find out if the conditions for the first phase of the Gaza Truce agreement were met to go to the second phase.
On Tuesday, the Israeli media reported that Netanyahu had appointed his Minister of Strategic Affairs, Ron Dermer, to carry out negotiations on phase two of the cease-fire agreement with Hamas. Shin Bet chief, Ronen Bar and the chief of Mossad, Dedi Barnea, led the previous round of talks.
Political analyst Xavier Abu Eid Eid told Tel Aviv Tribune that the Assignment of Dermer, a longtime confidant from Netanyahu, to lead the Israeli negotiation team made an important difference for the future of talks.
“It makes a big difference because Dermer is someone who works for Netanyahu, not for the (Israeli) state,” he said.
The Nour Odeh of Tel Aviv Tribune said: “This is the model we have seen in recent weeks: Israel negotiates with the United States, then comes to Doha or Cairo to speak with the mediators and see what can be developed.
“On March 1, the first phase of the ceasefire ended. Without a commitment on both sides to continue speaking and maintaining their calm, everyone wonders if the ceasefire can survive, “she said from the Jordanian capital Amman.
Alon Pinkas, former ambassador and consul general of Israel to New York, told Tel Aviv Tribune that the first phase preserved does not necessarily increase well for the second most difficult phase.
“The reason is that Netanyahu is not interested in phase two. This phase will include a reduction in the Israeli force in Gaza on day 42, which is in a week. Day 50, it includes not only a reduction in force, but a withdrawal, “Pinkas told Tel Aviv Tribune from Tel Aviv.
He said that the ceasefire would go from a cessation of hostilities, as we know now, at the end of the war, which is not something that the Israeli Prime Minister promotes.
“Politically, he cannot afford neither the withdrawal nor the official end of the war,” he added.
“Hamas ready to abandon the role of governance in Gaza”
If the ceasefire of Gaza breaks down, this would mean that the Israeli captives still held in Gaza would remain in the enclave, to the great anger of Israeli society.
Family members of the captives have already protested in Tel Aviv, most parents and groups pleading for captives calling for the Israeli government to ensure that the agreement does not fail.
Odeh of Tel Aviv Tribune said that families of Israeli captives have a serious doubt about Netanyahu’s commitment to see all the captives released as part of the cease-fire agreement.
“Netanyahu’s allies clearly indicated that they had absolutely no interest in going to phase two and they do not believe that Israel should end the war. In fact, they push a return to the bombing of Gaza, some even say that Israel should annex parts of the Gaza Strip.
Many in Israel – and within the government – opposed the ceasefire from the start, arguing that the war in Gaza should only end with the complete defeat of Hamas.
The head of Hamas said on Saturday that his group was ready to abandon his governance role in Gaza.
“We have said on several occasions, even before October 7 (2023), which we immediately wanted to leave the governing position in the Gaza Strip and allow any Government of Palestinian Unity or a technocratic government or any alternative which is decided by the Palestinians within the Palestinian consensus, “he said.
Naim said the group is hosting an Egyptian proposal to form a committee responsible for governing all aspects of life in Gaza in coordination with the Government of the Palestinian Authority in Ramallah.
The manager added that Hamas had been founded as a national movement of Palestinian resistance with clear objectives, in particular “to get rid of the occupation, to achieve the authentic and national Palestinian objectives of the state, of self -determination and the right to come back ”.
“We will continue our struggle with all other factions and all our people to achieve these objectives by all means, including political and diplomatic means and armed resistance. But to manage the daily life of Palestinians, such as health, education and social affairs, we are ready to leave to a solution based on consensus. »»