Hamas Urges Washington to Pressure Israel to Adhere to Gaza Truce Agreement
Hamas urged the U.S. to ensure Israel honors the ceasefire, prioritizing the well-being of hostages in Gaza. Claims arose regarding Israel's obstruction of humanitarian aid and the prisoner exchange deal risks collapse. Despite previous agreements, tensions continue, with potential for renewed fighting if conditions aren't met by Saturday.
hassan benyoub 
Hamas called on Washington on Saturday to "compel" Israel to respect the truce agreement, if the United States is genuinely concerned about the lives of hostages held in Gaza for over 16 months.
Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem said in a statement: "The United States must force the occupation [Israel] to respect the agreement if they really care about the lives of the prisoners."
Qassem added that Hamas had received "guarantees regarding the entry of prefabricated homes and heavy equipment into the Gaza Strip," and that the movement "has the means to respond to the occupation if it does not respect the terms of the ceasefire agreement".
This appeal coincided with the arrival of buses carrying more than 300 released Palestinian prisoners, under the truce agreement between Israel and Hamas, to Khan Yunis, a city south of the Gaza Strip, on Saturday. Journalists reported that the convoy of buses, managed by the Red Cross, dropped off the prisoners, who were jubilant and waved to the crowds who came to greet them in front of the European Hospital.
This comes at a time when a snag regarding the prisoner exchange scheduled for Saturday is threatening the ceasefire.
The ceasefire agreement, mediated by Qatar and Egypt, came into effect on January 19 for 42 days. The agreement stipulates the release of 33 Israeli prisoners by Hamas in exchange for Israel's release of about 1,000 Palestinian prisoners. The agreement also allows 600 trucks of humanitarian aid to enter Gaza daily.
However, the implementation of the agreement faces difficulties, as Hamas has accused Israel of obstructing the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza. For its part, Israel has accused Hamas of not complying with the terms of the agreement.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned that fighting may resume if the prisoners are not released by Saturday. Reports indicate that there are forces seeking to obstruct the completion of this agreement. CNN reported that on Monday, Hamas warned of a delay in the next hostage release, accusing Israel of violating the ceasefire by firing on Palestinians in various areas of Gaza, hindering the return of displaced individuals to the heavily bombed northern regions, and restricting the entry of humanitarian aid into the territory.
