Hamas Accuses Israel of Violating Ceasefire, Demands Immediate Withdrawal

Watan-Hamas strongly condemned Israel’s failure to adhere to the agreed withdrawal schedule as part of the ceasefire deal. The movement stated that Israeli forces did not comply with the gradual reduction of troops in the Salah al-Din (Philadelphi) corridor during the first phase, nor did they initiate their withdrawal on the 42nd day as stipulated in the agreement.

According to Hamas, the full withdrawal was supposed to be completed by the 50th day—yesterday—but has not yet occurred. The group described this as a “blatant violation” and an attempt to undermine the agreement. Hamas called on mediators to pressure Israel to fulfill its commitments and withdraw from the corridor, emphasizing that compliance with the deal is the only path to securing the release of captives.

In an earlier statement on Monday, Hamas reaffirmed its full commitment to the ceasefire agreement and its readiness to begin negotiations for the second phase immediately. The group accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of deliberately obstructing the deal for personal and political reasons, arguing that his priority is not the release of captives but his own political survival.

Hamas also rejected any attempts to pressure it while Israel remains unaccountable for its violations, warning that threats of war will not succeed. It stressed that negotiations and adherence to the agreement are the only viable solutions and accused Israel of using deception to avoid its obligations.

Meanwhile, Israel has reportedly been pressuring Palestinian resistance factions to extend the first phase of the ceasefire without fulfilling the agreed-upon humanitarian commitments. In this context, Israel recently blocked humanitarian aid from entering Gaza and cut off electricity to the besieged enclave. Israeli Energy Minister Eli Cohen announced on Sunday that he had ordered an immediate halt to Gaza’s electricity supply, stating: “We will use every tool available to recover the hostages and ensure that Hamas does not exist in Gaza after the war.”

An Israeli delegation is expected to arrive in Doha today for negotiations, but Israeli officials remain skeptical about reaching an agreement. The delegation is led by the deputy head of Shin Bet, known as “Mem,” along with Gal Hirsch, Israel’s coordinator for captives and missing persons, and Ofer Bilik, Netanyahu’s political advisor.

Amid reports of direct U.S.-Hamas talks, sources revealed that discussions have focused heavily on Hamas’s military capabilities in Gaza. During meetings with U.S. hostage envoy Adam Boehler, Hamas representatives reportedly insisted on a comprehensive agreement, rejecting partial solutions proposed by the U.S. official.