Hamas accuses Netanyahu of blocking Gaza cease-fire, prisoner exchange

GAZA, Palestine

Hamas warned late Wednesday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is hindering efforts to secure a cease-fire in Gaza and facilitate a prisoner exchange by insisting on maintaining control of the Philadelphi Corridor, a strip of land that runs along Gaza's border with Egypt.

The Palestinian resistance group said there is no need for new proposals to reach an agreement and called on the international community to pressure Netanyahu and his government to honor the commitments already made in previous negotiations.

Netanyahu, during press conferences earlier in the week, reaffirmed his stance that Israeli forces would not withdraw from the Philadelphi Corridor, citing previous incidents where weapons were allegedly smuggled to Hamas through this route.

Israel's continued presence in the corridor remains a major obstacle in finalizing an agreement with Hamas, as both the group and Egypt strongly oppose it. This has blocked efforts to end the war in Gaza and organize a prisoner exchange.

In response to Netanyahu's statements, Hamas stressed that the Israeli leader's decision to remain in the corridor is an attempt to sabotage any progress towards a cease-fire and prisoner exchange.

Hamas also dismissed the need for new proposals, referencing reports that the US is preparing a new initiative for a prisoner exchange and cease-fire. The group insisted that the immediate priority is to apply pressure on Netanyahu and his government to comply with the agreements already reached in earlier talks.

The group warned against Netanyahu’s tactics, which it claimed are being used to extend the ongoing aggression against the Palestinian people.

For months, Egypt, Qatar and the US have mediated indirect talks between Israel and Hamas, but these efforts have yet to yield results, largely due to Israel’s refusal to meet Hamas's demands for an end to the war, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, and the return of displaced Palestinians to northern Gaza.

More than 40,800 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have been killed since the start of the Israel-Hamas war on Oct. 7 last year and nearly 94,400 others injured, according to local health authorities.

An ongoing blockade of the enclave has led to severe shortages of food, clean water and medicine, leaving much of the region in ruins.

Israel also faces accusations of genocide for its actions in Gaza at the International Court of Justice.

*Writing by Alperen Aktas from Istanbul