Hamas says first step of truce deal fulfilled, calls for Palestinian unity

Hamas announced that it has completed the first stage of its agreement with Israel by handing over living hostages and some bodies, while working to finalise the return of remaining bodies, according to the group’s spokesperson, Hazem Qassem.

Qassem, speaking on Hamas’s Telegram channel, said the movement is committed to “Palestinian national consensus to resolve all outstanding issues related to the governance of Gaza after the war,” emphasising that the Palestinian Authority is “one of the Palestinian entities that cannot be ignored," Caliber.Az reports per foreign media. 

“We are entering a Palestinian national dialogue with open hearts and outstretched hands to all Palestinian forces,” he said. “This is a time for national consensus and prioritising the national interest over narrow partisan interests.”

He described the current period as a dangerous phase “not only for Hamas, but for the entire Palestinian people in Gaza and the West Bank,” urging unified efforts to confront ongoing challenges.

Qassem also accused Israel of committing “numerous violations since the ceasefire took effect,” including the killing of about 90 Palestinians, the closure of the Rafah crossing, and the restriction of humanitarian aid entering Gaza.

He added that “what Israel announces is one thing, and what is happening on the ground is another.”

By Sabina Mammadli