Gaza Herald _ Senior Hamas official Mohammed Nazzal has warned that the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement remains shrouded in uncertainty, accusing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of deliberately blocking its implementation while Palestinians continue to endure what he described as a genocide in multiple forms.
Speaking on Friday, Nazzal said the Palestinian people are still suffering under a tight siege, with Israel continuing to restrict the entry of humanitarian aid and necessities. He stressed that the ceasefire has failed to bring real relief on the ground, as hunger, deprivation, and insecurity persist across the Gaza Strip.
Nazzal called on the international community to move beyond statements of concern and take concrete, effective steps to pressure Israel into fully implementing the ceasefire agreement. He argued that without genuine international enforcement, Israel will continue to violate its obligations and undermine any prospects for stability.
Addressing discussions around deploying an international stabilization force, Nazzal cautioned that such proposals are premature. He emphasized that before any talk of a second phase or new security arrangements, Israel’s actual commitment to the first phase of the ceasefire must be thoroughly advanced. “There can be no transition to a new phase while the existing commitments are being ignored,” he said.
The Hamas leader further stated that no clear timeline exists for moving to the second phase of the agreement, noting that Netanyahu is actively obstructing the process. According to Nazzal, the Israeli prime minister has a political interest in sabotaging calm in Gaza and keeping the situation trapped in a continuous cycle of escalation, partial rights, and renewed violations.
Nazzal concluded by warning that without accountability and sustained international pressure, Israel will continue to empty the ceasefire of its meaning, leaving Gaza suspended between fragile calm and looming catastrophe, while the fundamental causes of the crisis remain unresolved.
