Israel Threatens to Resume Gaza War as Hamas Urges Mediators to Intervene
As the first phase of the ceasefire nears its end, Israel warns of renewed war while Hamas insists on moving to the next phase, including a full military withdrawal and prisoner exchange..
Watan-Hours before the first phase of the ceasefire agreement was set to expire, an Israeli official threatened to resume the war on Gaza. Meanwhile, the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) called on mediators, guarantors, and the international community to pressure Israel to proceed with the second phase.
Israeli media quoted an official as saying that returning to war was not a negotiation tactic and that there were understandings with Washington to support Israeli actions if it chose to resume fighting.
This comes after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held consultations last night regarding the end of the first phase of the agreement, with the participation of security chiefs and the ministers of defense, foreign affairs, strategic affairs, and finance.
The Israeli negotiating delegation returned from Cairo last night after Hamas rejected an Israeli request to extend the first phase by an additional 42 days and refused to delay the agreed-upon second phase.
Sources from both sides described the indirect negotiations in Cairo as unproductive. Israeli Channel 13 reported that Netanyahu was discussing with his ministers the possibility of resuming the war, adding that Israel had rejected withdrawing from Gaza and ending the war.
However, U.S. outlet Axios and Israeli site Walla reported that the Israeli delegation is expected to return to Cairo later.
Israel was supposed to begin withdrawing from the Philadelphi Corridor as per the agreement, but it has evaded doing so.
Hamas’ Position
In response, Hamas described Israel’s conditions as unreasonable and held it responsible for the stalled negotiations. The movement reaffirmed its full commitment to implementing all terms of the agreement in all its phases and details.
Hamas called on mediators, guarantors, and the international community to pressure Israel to fully comply with the agreement and immediately move to the second phase without delays or evasions.
Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem stated that there are currently no negotiations with Hamas regarding the second phase of the ceasefire agreement and prisoner exchange, emphasizing that Israel is trying to return matters to square one.
In a press statement, Qassem said, “The occupation is evading its commitment to ending the war and fully withdrawing from Gaza. It wants to recover its captives while keeping the option of resuming aggression against the devastated Palestinian territory.”
Israeli Plan
Meanwhile, The Guardian quoted humanitarian officials as saying that the Israeli military has presented the United Nations and aid organizations with a plan to manage Gaza that entails stricter Israeli control than before the war. The plan raises doubts about Netanyahu‘s government’s intention to withdraw.
The British newspaper reported that Israel’s Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) proposed a system for distributing aid through logistical centers under strict Israeli supervision, where supplies would be handed over to Palestinians subjected to security screening.
The report noted that this system is a revised version of a previously tested model in Gaza, known as “humanitarian bubbles,” which was attempted over a year ago in northern Gaza but was abandoned after a few trials.
On Thursday, the prisoner exchange process was completed under the first phase of the agreement, which came into effect on January 19, following mediation efforts led by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States.
The ceasefire agreement was reached after 15 months of Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza, which resulted in over 160,000 Palestinians killed or injured and caused unprecedented destruction not seen since World War II.
