DOHA, March 1. /TASS/. Mediators aren’t currently in talks with the Palestinian movement Hamas on the second phase of a ceasefire deal for the Gaza Strip, which was expected to begin on March 2, Hamas Spokesman Hazem Qassem said.
"The first phase of the ceasefire deal, signed by the resistance and mediators, ends today. Talks on the second phase were expected to kick off on the 16th day of the ceasefire but it did not happen because of Israel’s position who had repeatedly violated the agreement," he told Qatar’s Al Araby TV channel. "There are currently no talks with Hamas on the matter, and there is no interaction with regard to the second phase," Qassem added.
He stressed that Hamas remained committed to the three-phase Gaza ceasefire deal.
Egypt’s state information service reported on February 27 that the delegations of Israel and Qatar had arrived in Cairo for talks on Gaza. The consultations also involve US officials. The parties were expected to discuss the implementation of a ceasefire agreement for Gaza in order to make sure that Israel and Hamas respect the agreements.
In mid-January, Egypt, Qatar and the US brokered an agreement between Israel and Hamas to release the hostages held in Gaza and declare a ceasefire in the enclave. The truce took effect on January 19. The first phase of the deal ends on March 1. All the living Israeli hostages and the bodies of those deceased that were supposed to be handed over in the first stage have been returned to Israel. In exchange, Israel released over 1,500 Palestinian prisoners.