Hamas: The initial phase of the ceasefire in Gaza will not be extended

Spokesperson Hazem Qassem told Al Araby TV that there were no ongoing talks to begin the second phase of the ceasefire, which was supposed to guarantee the definitive end of the war, an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and the release of remaining captives.

Israel officials joined “intensive discussions" with mediators from Qatar and the United States in Cairo on Thursday, but those talks have yet to bear fruit.

The first phase of the truce, which began on January 19, largely halted over 15 months of Israel’s war on Gaza.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Friday that the ceasefire in Gaza "must hold".

"The ceasefire and hostage release deal must hold. The coming days are critical. The parties must spare no effort to avoid a breakdown of this deal," Guterres said in New York.

The implementation of the second phase of the agreement is the only topic that Hamas has stated it will discuss. "The second phase of the agreement is supposed to start tomorrow, Sunday," a senior Hamas official with no name told AFP on Saturday.

Hamas accused Israel of trying "to play for time and violate the agreement".

Israel wants Hamas to release captives as part of an extension of the first phase rather than move on to the second phase.

Israeli media reports indicate that Israel is not planning to withdraw from the Philadelphi Corridor in Gaza on Saturday, in violation of the ceasefire agreement.

The report came as Israeli War Minister Israel Katz said that the Philadelphi Corridor will remain a buffer zone, like ones that Israel has imposed in Lebanon and Syria, according to Channel 12. 

Hamas condemned Katz’s statement, saying that Israel’s refusal to withdraw from the Philadelphi Corridor is a breach of the terms of the deal.

The ceasefire came to an end just a day after the start of Ramadan in Gaza, leaving residents to observe the Islamic holy month with an uncertain future ahead.

During the first phase of the ceasefire, more than 1,700 Palestinian prisoners were released in exchange for 25 living Israeli captives and eight deceased ones.

A third phase should be devoted to the reconstruction of the Palestinian territory, a project estimated by the UN at more than $53bn.