DaysofPal – As Gaza reaches the final day of the first phase of the ceasefire agreement, uncertainty looms over the enclave, with negotiations on the next stage failing to yield a clear outcome.
On the 42nd day of the truce, Gaza remains in a state of collapse. Basic services—including electricity, internet, and local media—are completely severed, leaving Palestinians isolated and in confusion.
The lack of reliable information about ceasefire talks has fueled what many Gazans describe as “psychological warfare,” exacerbating an already dire humanitarian situation.
Israeli occupation authorities have refused to proceed with the second phase of the agreement with Palestinian resistance factions or even begin negotiations on it, media sources reported.
Instead, Israel is reportedly pushing to extend the first phase, demanding that a number of living captives and bodies of deceased individuals be handed over in exchange for each additional week of the truce.
Hamas has firmly rejected these conditions, insisting that Israel must honor the agreement and move forward with the second phase of the ceasefire.
The movement has called on mediators to ensure that Israel complies with the commitments it previously signed regarding de-escalation and a halt to military operations in Gaza.
Negotiations for the second phase were initially set to begin on February 3. However, Israeli occupation delayed the process.
According to Israel’s Kan public broadcaster, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu conditioned further talks on the disarmament of Palestinian resistance factions and the removal of Hamas from Gaza—demands that Hamas has categorically rejected.
In an attempt to salvage the ceasefire deal, Egypt and Qatar have intensified their mediation efforts in recent days. However, Israel has continued its violations of the truce, particularly through deadly military raids in the occupied West Bank, further jeopardizing the fragile agreement.
The United Nations and humanitarian organizations have warned against a breakdown of the ceasefire, citing repeated Israeli violations.
On Friday, UN Secretary-General António Guterres, who is set to attend an Arab League summit, urged both sides to uphold the truce. “The coming days are critical. The parties must spare no effort to avoid a breakdown of this deal,” he said in New York.
The human toll of Israel’s war on Gaza continues to rise. The Palestinian Health Ministry has confirmed 48,388 deaths, with 111,803 people wounded. The Government Media Office revised its figures, reporting at least 61,709 fatalities, including thousands of people presumed dead beneath the rubble.
As negotiations remain deadlocked and Israel’s occupation’s attacks persist, Gazans remain in limbo, facing the growing threat of renewed hostilities.
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