Hamas fighters stand guard as an Worldwide Pink Cross car arrives on the website of the handing over of two Israeli hostages in Rafah within the southern Gaza Strip, as a part of the seventh hostage-prisoner launch on February 22, 2025.
Youssef Alzanoun/Center East Photographs/AFP through Getty
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Youssef Alzanoun/Center East Photographs/AFP through Getty
TEL AVIV, Israel — The Palestinian militant group Hamas says talks should start on the subsequent section of the ceasefire in Gaza, rejecting what it says was an Israeli proposal to increase the primary section of the ceasefire deal.
Israeli, Hamas and different negotiators had been in Egypt on Friday to debate the ceasefire. The Israeli delegation returned house from the talks Friday night.
“Extending the first phase of the deal in the format that Israel wants is unacceptable to the organization,” Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem mentioned in an interview with Al Araby tv.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s workplace didn’t have a right away response to Hamas’ refusal of the extension.
Qassem accused Israel for the failure to start negotiations on the second section of the Gaza ceasefire which got here into impact Jan. 19. The settlement, negotiated by Egypt, expires Saturday.
Underneath the phrases of the deal, preventing will not resume in the course of the negotiations. Qassem claimed Israel wished to get again the remaining 59 hostages nonetheless held in Gaza after which resume the conflict.
Hamas launched 33 Israeli hostages, together with eight our bodies, underneath the present section of the ceasefire in trade for the discharge of practically 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees held in Israeli jails.
Section two of the ceasefire deal would see the whole withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza and a dedication to finish the conflict.
The conflict began after Israel suffered the worst assault in its historical past on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants attacked and killed practically 1,200 Israelis and took 251 hostage.
Israel vowed to destroy Hamas, and over the subsequent 15 months airstrikes and assaults killed greater than 48,000 folks in Gaza, destroying or damaging many of the buildings within the occupied territory.
The primary section of the ceasefire is ending because the Muslim holy month of Ramadan begins.
Through the six weeks of the ceasefire, the United Nations has been in a position to ship a lot wanted primary items, although residents in Gaza say they nonetheless haven’t got sufficient meals and medical provides.
At a market within the Jabaliya refugee camp in north Gaza, Khalid Abu Sultan, 33, was looking for inexpensive groceries for the meal he deliberate to organize to interrupt the each day Ramadan quick. However he mentioned the costs had been too excessive.
“Ramadan usually brings joy and delight, but this year it will be bleak,” Abu Sultan mentioned.
