Hamas has reaffirmed its commitment to the ceasefire agreement and prisoner exchange deal with Israel, saying Tel Aviv is failing to uphold its commitments, holding it responsible for any complications or delays.
In a statement published on Telegram, Hamas also rejected US President Donald Trump’s remarks suggesting the displacement of Palestinians from Gaza under the pretext of reconstruction, calling them “racist” and an “invitation to ethnic cleansing” aimed at erasing the Palestinian cause.
Since Jan. 25, Trump has repeatedly suggested that Palestinians in Gaza should be taken in by regional Arab nations such as Egypt and Jordan, an idea rejected by both the Arab states and Palestinian leaders.
Hamas stressed: “The plan to expel our people from Gaza will not succeed and will face a unified Palestinian, Arab, and Islamic stance rejecting all displacement schemes. All plans for forced displacement will fail.”
The group reiterated that it remains committed to the ceasefire agreement as long as Israel does, emphasizing that the deal was brokered and guaranteed by Egypt, Qatar, and the US, with international oversight.
“The (Israeli) occupation is the party that has failed to meet its commitments, and it bears full responsibility for any delays or complications,” Hamas added.
On Monday, Trump warned “all hell” will break out if all Israeli captives in Gaza were not released by 12:00 p.m. (10:00 GMT) on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a warning to Hamas following a four-hour security Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, announcing that he had ordered the military to mobilize forces in and around Gaza.
“This deployment is happening as we speak and will be completed as soon as possible,” Netanyahu stated in a televised statement.
He vowed that if Hamas did not release the captives by Saturday noon, “the ceasefire will end, and the Israeli military will resume fighting at full force.”
While Netanyahu did not specify the number of hostages he expected Hamas to release, Israeli Army Radio, citing unnamed officials, reported on Tuesday that if Hamas freed three captives on Saturday, the first phase of the agreement would proceed.
On Monday, Abu Ubaida, spokesperson for Hamas’ military wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, announced that the release of Israeli hostages scheduled for Saturday had been postponed indefinitely, citing Israeli violations of the ceasefire agreement.
The three-phase ceasefire deal has been in place in Gaza since Jan. 19, halting Israel’s genocidal war that has killed more than 48,200 people and left the enclave in ruins.
In phase one of the truce, which runs until early March, 33 Israeli hostages are to be released in exchange for a number of Palestinian prisoners. The sixth Israeli-Hamas swap was scheduled for this week.
Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.
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