Hamas rules out 2nd phase of Gaza ceasefire while Israeli violations continue

A senior Hamas official says continued Israeli "violations" of the Gaza ceasefire have left no ground to begin phase-two negotiations, warning that progress is impossible until mediators force Israel to fully comply with the first stage.

"As long as the occupation continues its violations," there is no basis to move forward with the next phase of the ceasefire, Hamas political bureau member Husam Badran said on Tuesday. 

Badran further stated that Israel had failed to meet phase one commitments, citing the closure of the Rafah crossing, obstruction of shelter deliveries, reduced humanitarian aid, and continued killings and home demolitions inside the so-called yellow line.

Pointing to comments by Israeli military chief Eyal Zamir, who claimed that the “yellow line” now serves as Gaza’s new border, Badran said that the remarks "clearly reveal the criminal occupation's lack of commitment to the ceasefire agreement." 

Addressing Israeli troops inside the besieged strip on Sunday, Zamir openly described the so-called “yellow line”, a north–south axis cutting through the Gaza Strip and marking the point of Israel’s pullback, as “a new border line” with Gaza.

Israeli forces withdrew to the "yellow line" in October as part of the first phase of US President Donald Trump's 20-point Gaza ceasefire plan with the Palestinian-based resistance movement Hamas.

Israel and the Palestinian resistance group Hamas agreed in October to the truce intended to increase the flow of aid into the besieged strip, which has been devastated by nearly two years of Israel's genocidal war.

Despite the ceasefire, the Israeli attacks have continued; at least 376 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks and airstrikes across Gaza since October 10.

This comes as Israel still controls more than half of the blockaded Palestinian territory. 

Large parts of the besieged Palestinian territory remain inaccessible due to the continued presence of Israeli occupation forces.

Israeli attacks continue in Gaza in violation of ceasefire; two more Palestinians killed

Despite a US-brokered ceasefire, Israel kills two more Palestinians in Gaza in fresh attacks.

'Gaza still facing genocide'

Also on Tuesday, Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem emphasized that Palestinians in Gaza “are still subjected to ongoing genocide through multiple tools, including the continued siege, the prevention of adequate shelter materials, the restriction of humanitarian aid, and the closure of crossings.’’

Qassem strongly denounced the silence of the international community and world organizations towards Israeli crimes. "This places the international community before its urgent moral and political responsibilities toward the civilian population."

The spokesperson warned of the repercussions of the new weather depression affecting the Gaza Strip.

He highlighted that the current sheltering tents are unsuitable to withstand rain or winter cold, especially under the occupation's restrictions on the entry of fuel.

Hamas urges independent Palestinian govt. in post-war Gaza

Hamas says an independent Palestinian government must rule the Gaza Strip and occupied West Bank after the war ends.

Aid agencies continue to press for expanded access for humanitarian convoys, while Israel has rejected calls to allow relief shipments to enter through the Rafah crossing.

Qassem added that the “catastrophic humanitarian conditions in Gaza necessitate launching an urgent relief operation and providing real, decent shelter centers by all concerned parties.”

He stressed the need to “compel the occupation to apply the humanitarian relief protocols stipulated in the January [ceasefire] agreement, which were reaffirmed in the October agreement.”

More than 70,000 people, mostly women and children, have been killed since October 2023, when Israel launched its genocidal war on Gaza.

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