The Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas has rejected the possibility of extending the first phase of high fire with Israel and confirmed that right now there are no negotiations for the declaration of a second stage of the cessation of hostilities.
One of the spokesmen of Hamas, Hazem Qasem, confirmed this Saturday in an interview with the television channel to Araby that the Islamist group rejects Israel’s proposal to extend the first phase of the agreement of Alto El Fuego in the Gaza Strip because it considers that, with that measure, “Avoid committing to end war. ”
“Prolong the first phase of the agreement in the format that Israel wants is unacceptable for the organization,” Qasem said during the interview. The Hamas spokesman has declared this Saturday that every extension of the first stage is unacceptable for the Palestinian movement in understanding that it is an effort of Israel to “start over zero.”
Qasem, in statements to the chain to Arabiya, has denounced what it understands as a dilatory tactic of Israel to avoid negotiations of a second phase that would entail the complete withdrawal of its forces of the Gaza Strip.
The group’s announcement has occurred after Israel proposed to extend the high fire for 42 more days after the end of the first phase, which entered into force on January 19 and expired this Saturday.
According to the text, tomorrow Sunday should start the second phase in which Hamas would free the rest of hostages that he still retains and Israel would release Palestinians In addition to withdrawing all its troops from the strip, including the Philadelphia corridor, to give way to the end of the war.
“Israel seeks to return to the hostages while retaining the option to resume the fighting in Gaza,” added the Qasem spokesman on the proposal released yesterday in Cairo by the Israeli delegation, and then spread Egyptian sources to media, to extend 42 days plus the first phase and simply maintain hostage exchanges for prisoners.
Israeli media reported yesterday that the Israeli delegation returned to Israel last night and that the intention was to resume negotiations on phase two on Saturday although Qassem said that “There are currently no conversations. ” “The occupation is responsible for failure at the beginning of negotiations on the second phase,” he criticized.
The Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamín Netanyahu, held this past meetings with various ministers and high defense charges to address the truce agreement, Although he usually does not usually hold work meetings during the Jewish Sabath (rest period).
At the moment, they have not transcended more details of that meeting or Israel has spoken about its position regarding the future of the high fire agreement in Gaza. Bassem Naieem, a high position of Hamas, insisted Efe that “They are still committed to implementing the agreement as signed by both parties“Supervised by the mediators.
