Hamas renews call for Israel to abide by truce requirement for IDF to withdraw from Philadelphi

Hamas has renewed a demand for Israeli troops to withdraw from south Gaza, accusing Israel of seeking to breach the terms of a ceasefire in talks on the next phase of the accord.

Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem tells AFP that Israeli forces should have pulled out of a strip of land along the Gaza-Egypt border under the first phase of the ceasefire that started on January 19.

Hamas has accused Israel of keeping troops in the strategic Philadelphi Corridor. Israel has insisted it needs to maintain control of the corridor to prevent weapons smuggling into the Palestinian territory from Egypt.

Qassem indicates that the corridor had become one of the sticking points at Qatari-US mediated talks in Doha on the next phase of the ceasefire.

“Reports indicate new proposals are being presented aimed at circumventing the Gaza agreement,” Qassem tells AFP.

“Meetings are continuing with mediators in Doha. We adhere to what was agreed upon and to entering into the second phase,” he adds.

But he insists that Israel must also fulfill its obligations “withdrawing from the entire Gaza Strip” and “begin the withdrawal from the Philadelphi Corridor” for any second phase deal to end the war.

“Israel has not implemented the humanitarian protocol of the Gaza agreement,” Qassem adds. Israel has stopped humanitarian aid from entering Gaza since March 2 to back its demand that Hamas release all remaining hostages held since the 2023 attacks.

“We do not want to return to war again, and if the occupation resumes its aggression, we have no choice but to defend our people,” the spokesman says.