Hamas Brushes Off ’Israeli’ Threats, Asserts Negotiations Only Way to Save Captives’ Lives

By Staff, Agencies

The Palestinian resistance movement Hamas says "Israel’s" threats to restart war on the Gaza Strip are futile, saying the ceasefire talks are the only way for "Israel" to save the lives of its captives.

In a statement on Monday, Hamas said “Israel’s” prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu “is obstructing the implementation of the agreement for purely personal and partisan reasons, and the last thing he cares about is the release of the captives and the feelings of their families.”

Hamas reiterated its full commitment to the implementation of the agreement, expressing its readiness for the immediate start of the ceasefire’s second-phase talks.

Meanwhile, the movement said "Israel" “continues to violate the agreement and refuses to start its second phase”, adding this “procrastination” will “increase its isolation and expose the falsity of its narrative to the world.”

Hamas pointed out that the truce deal was brokered by international mediators and witnessed by the world, which requires obligating the entity to implement the agreement as the only way to recover the captives.

Earlier in the day, Hamas spokesman Abdul Latif al-Qanou said the group showed flexibility in recent talks with Egyptian and Qatar mediators as well as US President Donald Trump's envoy in Doha, and is awaiting the outcome of their negotiations with "Israel".

"We have dealt flexibly with the efforts of the mediators and Trump's envoy, and we await the results of the expected negotiations and obligating the occupation to abide by the agreement and move to the second stage," Qanou said.

He added that the Doha talks are “based on ending the war, [Israel’s] withdrawal, and the reconstruction” of the Gaza Strip.

Referring to "Israel’s" tightening of the siege on Gaza, closure of the crossings and stoppage of humanitarian aid deliveries to Palestinians, Qanou said the measures are aimed at forcing the Palestinians to leave, but he said “this is just a confused dream.”

The spokesman added that "Israel's" talk about plans to resume the war and its decision to cut off electricity, in place since October 7, 2023, are “options that have failed, and pose a threat to its captives, whom it will not secure their release, except through negotiations."