Hamas official says Netanyahu ‘intentionally sabotaging’ Gaza ceasefire

After Israel delayed the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, a Hamas official claimed that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had “intentionally sabotaged” the Gaza ceasefire agreement.

Basem Naim stated in an interview with Al Jazeera on Monday that Hamas would hold talks over a ceasefire until Israel released the 620 Palestinian prisoners who were scheduled to be released on Saturday.

“Before going to the next step, we have to be sure that the past step, which was releasing 620 prisoners, are already released”, said Naim, a member of Hamas’s political bureau.

“Netanyahu clearly is sabotaging the deal, and he is setting the tone for a war that will never end.”

In exchange for six Israeli prisoners held in Gaza, Israel announced on Sunday that it had made a decision to postpone the release of Palestinian prisoners who had been scheduled to be freed a day earlier.

In a statement, Netanyahu’s office said the move came in response to captive release ceremonies held by Hamas “that humiliate our hostages” as well as “the cynical exploitation of our hostages for propaganda purposes”.

Since last month’s ceasefire agreement entered into force in the Gaza Strip, Israel and Hamas have engaged in numerous captive-for-prisoner exchanges.

Despite mediators’ pleas for both parties to carry on negotiations to reach the second phase of the deal, some observers have questioned whether Netanyahu is willing to move on to the next stage.

Netanyahu is likely to face strong opposition from the Israeli public, according to Local Call editor Meron Rapoport, who spoke to Al Jazeera on Monday.

“The expectation from the families of the hostages]who remain in Gaza] is that all the hostages should be released”, Rapoport said.

In accordance with the ceasefire agreement, Hamas is anticipated to later this week release the bodies of four Israeli prisoners.

Naim responded to questions from Al Jazeera asking about both the future of the deal and the situation.

“What are the guarantees that]Netanyahu] might take the other four bodies and again not release the agreed-upon number of Palestinians plus the 620 Palestinians”? the Hamas official asked.