Hamas will delay the release of more Israeli prisoners of war planned on Saturday “until further notice” due to Israeli violations of a ceasefire in Gaza that Palestinian groups have.
Hamas Armed Wing spokesman Abu Obeida – Kassam Brigade in a statement on Monday said prisoners of war “until the occupying groups comply with their past obligations and retroactively compensate them.”
Israel and Hamas are in the middle of a six-week ceasefire, during which Hamas is releasing dozens of prisoners who were attacked on October 7, 2023 in exchange for 2,000 Palestinian prisoners.
Abu Obeida said Israel violated several parts of the armistice mediated between the sides.
“For the past three weeks, resistance leadership has monitored enemy violations and violations of terms of contract,” he said.
“These violations include delaying the return of evacuees to shelters in various parts of the Gaza Strip, targeting them with artillery and fire in various parts of the Gaza Strip, and invading all agreed forms of relief material. This includes not allowing the company to do so, while resistance fulfilled all its duties.”
A Qassam Brigades spokesman reaffirmed the group’s “commitment to the terms of the contract, as long as the profession follows them.”
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz responded quickly to Hamas’ moves and said the decision was “a complete violation of the ceasefire agreement.”
“I gave instructions [the military] To prepare the highest level alerts for possible scenarios in Gaza,” Katz said.
Both sides have conducted five swaps since the ceasefire took effect last month and have released 21 Israelis and more than 730 Palestinians.
The next exchange is scheduled for Saturday, releasing three Israeli prisoners in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.
Several Palestinian civilians were shot dead by Israeli forces when they returned to their homes.
Meanwhile, the number of injured Palestinian patients evacuated from the strip and the humanitarian trucks entering Gaza are fewer than promised in the ceasefire agreement.
The Qassam Brigades announcement comes in light of the latest statement by US President Donald Trump, who raised concerns about the sustainability of the ceasefire agreement.
Trump repeatedly called for Gaza to ethnically cleanse the US, saying it would take “ownership” of its territory.
The first phase of the transaction will expire on March 1st. In the second phase, all prisoners and permanent ceasefire releases have not been completed. The third part of the contract appears to be a pioneer of a multi-year plan to restructure the territory.
Palestinian activist and politician Mustafa Barguti in three ways: Israel blocks temporary housing and humanitarian aid, shoots and kills Gaza people, and supports Trump’s plan to ethnically cleanse Gaza He said he was violating the agreement.
“More than that, Netanyahu threatens to return to war and he declares that he will never stop the war,” Barguti told Al Jazeera.
“So what do they want? To get back all Israeli prisoners and then continue the Gaza genocide? This is exactly the message the Palestinians were getting.”
Netanyahu reiterated last week that he was committed to fulfilling the war purpose, including destroying Hamas’ army and governing capabilities.
Before Abu Obeida’s statement on Monday, Hamas senior Bassem Naim told Al Jazeera that Israel has not fulfilled its obligations under the agreement.
“In the last three weeks since we signed the contract, we have been caught up in very serious consultations and negotiations with Mediators, Egyptians, Catalis and the United States.
He noted that after the ceasefire was implemented, 25 Palestinians were killed by Israeli forces, and dozens of wounded.
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