Hamas says no Gaza truce second phase while ‘Israel’ continues violations

• Hamas official Hossam Badran stated that the ceasefire cannot proceed to Phase Two as long as "violations" by ‘Israel’ persist, demanding mediators pressure ‘Israel’ to fully implement all Phase One terms.
• Badran accused ‘Israel’ of significantly reducing humanitarian aid and continuing military actions, citing comments by an ‘Israeli’ Chief of Staff who called the withdrawal zone (the Yellow Line) a "new border."

A Hamas official said Tuesday that the Gaza ceasefire cannot proceed to its second phase as long as “violations” by ‘Israel’ persist, calling on mediators to pressure ‘Israel’ to respect the deal.

"The second phase cannot begin as long as the occupation (Israel) continues its violations of the agreement and evades its commitments," Hamas political bureau member Hossam Badran told AFP, referring to the fragile ceasefire that came into effect on October 10.

"Hamas has asked the mediators to pressure the occupation to complete the implementation of the first phase," Hossam Badran said.

"Any discussion about starting Phase Two must be clearly preceded by pressure from the mediators and guarantors, including the United States, to guarantee the complete implementation by the occupation of all terms of Phase One,” he added,

Phase One terms stipulate the exchange of ‘Israeli’ captives and Palestinians detainees, the cessation of hostilities, and the entry of aid into the Gaza Strip.

Accusations of Non-Compliance

Badran added that "all parties following the Palestinian file agree that the occupation has not fulfilled its obligations in the first phase of the ceasefire agreement."

He clarified that completing Phase One implementation means "stopping all violations and breaches and ensuring the entry of sufficient quantities of aid."

He pointed out that the agreement stipulates the "entry of between 400 to 600 trucks daily and the opening of the Rafah crossing (between Egypt and the Gaza Strip) for individuals, goods, and aid."

‘Israel’ and Hamas continue to trade accusations regarding the ceasefire, which began on Oct. 10 but remains fragile. ‘Israel’ continues to carry out airstrikes on various areas in the Gaza Strip, claiming that Hamas is violating the truce.

The agreement, brokered by the US, Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey, calls for the cessation of hostilities following the devastating assault that erupted in October 2023, the exchange of captives and detainees, ‘Israel’s’ withdrawal from populated areas, and the intensification of aid entry into the strip, which the UN declared was facing famine in several areas during the latter months of the war.

Badran noted that "the occupation is significantly reducing the quantities of humanitarian aid entering the Strip, and continues to commit killings in Gaza and destroy buildings and citizens' homes inside the Yellow Line, and this constitutes a continuation of military actions."

The “Yellow Line”

Badran separately stated that comments by ‘Israeli’ Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, who claimed the Yellow Line in the Gaza Strip represents a "new border," "clearly expose the criminal occupation's failure to adhere to the terms of the ceasefire agreement."

An ‘Israeli’ army statement last Sunday quoted Zamir as saying that "the Yellow Line constitutes a new border line, an advanced defense line for the settlements, and an attack line."