DaysofPal – Hamas Movement said on Thursday that Israeli insistence on raising the issue of disarmament before implementing the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement contradicts the plan put forward by former U.S. President Donald Trump for the territory.
Hazem Qassem, a spokesperson for Hamas, told Turkey’s Anadolu Agency that linking implementation of the ceasefire terms in Gaza to disarmament was complicating talks on the second stage of the agreement.
“Insisting on putting the disarmament issue on the table, and skipping over the obligations of the first phase of the ceasefire agreement, contradicts Trump’s plan regarding the Gaza Strip,” Qassem said.
He emphasized that the commitments set out in the first phase must be carried out before moving to any subsequent discussions and said that building a clear basis of trust required adherence to what had already been agreed.
Qassem dismissed Israeli threats to resume large-scale fighting as pressure tools that would not succeed, arguing that Israeli occupation had practically not stopped the war, citing continued killings, the occupation of parts of the Gaza Strip and tight restrictions on aid deliveries.
He said Hamas and other Palestinian factions had held talks over the past two weeks with mediating and guarantor states.
Those discussions focused on implementing the first phase of the ceasefire, halting violations, and preparing for the second phase, which would include discussion of weapons.
Qassem described the stubborn Israeli position as the main obstacle, saying Israeli occupation was tying all tracks to the disarmament file.
He outlined the key obligations in the first phase: enabling a national committee to administer Gaza, allowing the entry of humanitarian aid and shelter materials, supporting the health sector, and fully reopening border crossings.
Qassem said Hamas was dealing responsibly and positively with the proposals on the table and would submit its formal response after completing consultations with the movement’s leadership and other Palestinian factions.
He underlined the need to guarantee that the war would not resume and reiterated that Palestinians were holding fast to their rights, foremost among them the right to self-determination.
The Hamas spokesperson called on mediators and guarantors of the agreement to play their role in finding logical and reasonable approaches that would be acceptable to the Palestinian people.
Qassem accused the Peace Council of siding with Israeli occupation, saying it was either unable or unwilling to pressure Israeli occupation to halt violations and fulfill its obligations.
He said the humanitarian situation in Gaza remained dire, accusing Israeli occupation of failing to respect agreed terms by closing crossings, restricting aid and killing civilians on a daily basis.
Qassem added that the Rafah crossing with Egypt was not operating in the manner that had been agreed.
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