DaysofPal- The Hamas Movement has stated that the Israeli occupation is intentionally obstructing the implementation of the ceasefire agreement and urged mediators and guarantor parties to take a firm stance against what it described as repeated Israeli violations.
Senior Hamas official Tayseer Suleiman said Israel is working to undermine agreed-upon provisions related to the ceasefire and the reopening of the Rafah crossing, which was scheduled to open on Sunday.
He said Israel is attempting to introduce new conditions and impose control over how the crossing would operate.
In statements to the press on Friday, monitored by Palestine Online, Suleiman said the reopening of Rafah should proceed in line with the ceasefire agreement.
He stated that the Israeli occupation is trying to revive arrangements similar to those imposed in 2005 by seeking direct or indirect oversight of the crossing, calling this part of a long-standing policy of exerting control over humanitarian affairs.
Suleiman said Hamas remains committed to moving forward with the second phase of the agreement, which would allow the Rafah crossing to reopen under joint Egyptian-Palestinian administration.
He noted that reopening the crossing would enable patients, wounded individuals, students, and urgent humanitarian cases to leave Gaza, easing the severe humanitarian crisis.
He added that thousands of Palestinians require travel for medical treatment due to the collapse of Gaza’s health sector, stressing that Rafah has traditionally been the primary exit point for patients, as Israel controls other crossings.
According to Suleiman, the agreement requires Israeli forces to withdraw from the so-called Yellow Zone, including areas surrounding the Rafah crossing, during the second phase, allowing it to operate fully.
He accused Israel of deliberately fragmenting areas to pressure Palestinians and prolong negotiations.
Suleiman also underscored the strategic importance of the Rafah crossing for the entry of goods and humanitarian aid at lower costs than crossings controlled by the Israeli occupation, calling on mediators and guarantor parties to take decisive action against the arbitrary Israeli practices.
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