Hamas Reaffirms Commitment to Gaza Ceasefire Amid Israeli Pledge on Humanitarian Measures
Efforts intensify to finalize the Gaza ceasefire deal, with mediators pressing Israel to uphold its commitments, including the prisoner exchange.
Watan-The Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) confirmed on Thursday its commitment to maintaining the ceasefire in Gaza, emphasizing that mediators are pressuring the Israeli occupation to fully implement the agreement. This includes adhering to the humanitarian protocol and resuming the prisoner exchange scheduled for Saturday.
In a statement, Hamas spokesperson Abdel Latif al-Qanoua asserted that the movement has no interest in the collapse of the ceasefire agreement and is committed to its full implementation while holding Israel accountable for its obligations. He added, “Mediators are exerting pressure to ensure the full execution of the agreement, compelling the occupation to adhere to the humanitarian protocol and resume the exchange process on Saturday.”
Al-Qanoua also noted that the Hamas delegation in Cairo is working to address obstacles set by Israel and discussing ways to enforce the ceasefire agreement in its entirety. At the same time, he warned that “the language of threats used by U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu does not contribute to the implementation of the ceasefire agreement.”
Progress in Prisoner Exchange Negotiations
Coinciding with Al-Qanoua’s remarks, two Palestinian sources familiar with the ceasefire negotiations reported progress that could lead to a new exchange of Israeli detainees and Palestinian prisoners on Saturday as planned. One source told AFP that “mediators have held intensive discussions and obtained an initial Israeli commitment to implement the humanitarian protocol starting Thursday morning.” Another source confirmed that “Hamas has assured Egyptian officials of its commitment to the agreement and its readiness to proceed with the sixth phase of the prisoner exchange on Saturday, provided Israel fulfills its obligations.”
Ceasefire Enters Critical Phase
As the ceasefire in Gaza reaches its 26th day, anticipation builds over the outcome of mediation efforts to resolve outstanding issues between Hamas and Israel. Egyptian sources told Al-Araby Al-Jadeed that developments are moving toward a breakthrough, with the ceasefire being solidified and the prisoner exchange set to resume. Mediation efforts have reportedly succeeded in resolving several contentious issues so far.
Meanwhile, the Hebrew website Walla cited an unnamed senior Israeli official stating that Israel has sent a message to Hamas through mediators, indicating that it will continue to uphold the agreement if Hamas complies by releasing three Israeli detainees by Saturday. The report added that Israeli officials, along with mediators, are working to resolve the dispute over these detainees to prevent the agreement from collapsing and to ensure the release of the remaining 17 detainees in the first phase of the deal.
Israeli Threats of Renewed War
In a new statement, Israeli Security Minister Yisrael Katz threatened to resume military operations in Gaza if Hamas does not release the detainees by Saturday. Following a meeting with military officials, Katz declared, “If Hamas does not release the Israeli hostages by Saturday, the gates of hell will open upon them, as promised by the U.S. president.” He added that “the new war in Gaza will be more intense than the one before the ceasefire (…) and will also facilitate the implementation of U.S. President Donald Trump’s plan for Gaza.”
