Hamas official Basem Naim has been talking to Al Jazeera about the precocious Gaza ceasefire deal which looks increasingly like it will collapse. As a reminder, Benjamin Netanyahu has delayed the handover of 620 Palestinians indefinitely as he is demanding Hamas stop what he called its “cynical use of hostages for propaganda”. Naim – a member of Hamas’s political bureau - said the Israeli prime minister is “intentionally sabotaging” the truce agreement. He told Al Jazeera:
Before going to the next step, we have to be sure that the past step, which was releasing 620 prisoners, are already released. Because Netanyahu is clearly sending strong messages that he is intentionally sabotaging the deal; he is preparing the atmosphere for returning back to the war. Therefore what are the guarantees that he might take the other four bodies and again not release the agreed upon number of Palestinians plus the 620 Palestinians?
Hamas had previously said it would release four bodies this week, completing the truce’s first phase, but this is now in doubt. Netanyahu has appeared reluctant to talk about the second phase of the three-stage ceasefire agreement, which would involve a complete Israeli military withdrawal from Gaza.
Before going to the next step, we have to be sure that the past step, which was releasing 620 prisoners, are already released. Because Netanyahu is clearly sending strong messages that he is intentionally sabotaging the deal; he is preparing the atmosphere for returning back to the war. Therefore what are the guarantees that he might take the other four bodies and again not release the agreed upon number of Palestinians plus the 620 Palestinians?
Hamas had previously said it would release four bodies this week, completing the truce’s first phase, but this is now in doubt. Netanyahu has appeared reluctant to talk about the second phase of the three-stage ceasefire agreement, which would involve a complete Israeli military withdrawal from Gaza.
