GAZA, (PIC)
Senior Hamas official Mahmoud Mardawi has emphasized that the only path to regional stability and the return of the remaining Israeli captives is for the Israeli occupation government to engage in talks over the second phase of the ceasefire agreement.
“The second phase includes negotiations on a permanent ceasefire, a complete army withdrawal and [Gaza] reconstruction, and eventually the release of prisoners as part of an agreed-upon deal. We insist on this and will not back down from this position,” Mardawi said in a statement on Sunday.
The Hamas official affirmed that the recent statement from Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu’s office, which talked about a temporary truce agreement during Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr reflected clearly that the Israeli occupation government insists on shirking its obligations under the ceasefire agreement it had signed.
“This ongoing [Israeli] finagling will not bring the prisoners back to their families. On the contrary, it will prolong their suffering and endanger their lives if the occupation is not pressured to honor its obligations,” he said.
