Hamas: Gaza’s ceasefire agreement is at risk and may collapse because of “Israel”

GAZA, Feb. 09 (YPA) – A senior leader of the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, warned on Saturday, that the “Israeli occupation’s lack of commitment is putting the Gaza ceasefire in danger of collapse,”

“The ceasefire agreement is at risk and may collapse because of  the Israeli occupation,” Hamas political bureau member and former Gaza health minister Basem Naim  said In an interview with AFP.

He added, “What we see from delay and lack of commitment in implementing the first phase and the attempt to create a political, international, diplomatic, and media environment to pressure the Palestinian negotiators upon entering the second phase, certainly exposes this agreement to danger and thus it might stop and collapse.”

“The return to war is certainly not our wish or decision. But if one party decides to return to war, certainly our Palestinian people who endured for 15 months and have resistance in their heart will be ready to respond appropriately,” he stressed.

He also confirmed that Hamas, as of Saturday, remains ready to participate in the second phase of ceasefire negotiations with “Israel”.

“We were expecting the dialogues for the second phase to start… last Monday. We are still ready to go. But the occupation is delaying… till now I do not have any specific date for starting the negotiation process… Maybe in the coming days there may be a start.”

He further called on all Arab countries that have normalized relations or are considering normalization to reconsider their stance, urging them to stop such agreements.

@E.Y.M