Newsletters
Hamas said Sunday it remains committed to a roadmap negotiated with international mediators and the Board of Peace to advance the second phase of a ceasefire plan for Gaza, hours after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected the same framework and said Israeli forces would not withdraw from the territory until the group disarms.
The competing statements underscore a widening gap between the two sides over how, and whether, the next stage of the agreement will proceed.
In a statement issued Sunday, Hamas said it remains serious about what it described as responsibly engaging on implementation of the 15-point plan and establishing a clear timetable for carrying it out. The group said the immediate priority must be ensuring that all phases and obligations of the agreement are fulfilled.
Hamas outlined a sequence of steps it wants the process to produce: a complete ceasefire, an end to Israeli military attacks, completion of Israel's withdrawal from Gaza, the reopening of border crossings, the entry of humanitarian aid and shelter materials, the launch of reconstruction efforts, and the start of operations by the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza.
Hamas called on mediators, guarantor states and the Board of Peace to shoulder their responsibilities in overseeing the deal, urging them to ensure all parties comply with its terms and to prevent violations that could derail implementation or threaten the ceasefire.
The group said it would continue to engage positively and responsibly with efforts to complete the agreement, framing its participation as aimed at ending the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza and protecting their rights and national interests.
The Hamas statement came after Netanyahu, early Sunday, rejected the 15-point plan as approved by the Board of Peace. The Israeli prime minister said Israeli forces would not withdraw from Gaza until Hamas is disarmed, setting a precondition that diverges from the sequencing Hamas says it is prepared to follow.
The disagreement leaves the fate of the plan's next phase unresolved, with both sides publicly committed to different terms for how a full ceasefire and Israeli withdrawal would unfold.
Set as preferred source
Set as preferred source
1 min read
1 min read
