Hamas says Israel is ‘deliberately’ delaying implementation of ceasefire second stage

Talks related to the second phase of the Gaza truce deal have not started yet with Israel, according to Hamas spokesperson.

Abdul Latif al-Qanouna, the Palestinian group’s spokesman, accused the Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu of deliberately “stalling the implementation of the second phase of the ceasefire agreement”.

He says that Hamas is ready to take part in the negotiations on the basis of the initial agreement.

Al-Qanoua stressed that Hamas is still waiting for Israel to implement all conditions of the “humanitarian protocol” related to the Gaza ceasefire.

He accused Israel of “using internationally banned weapons against Palestinian civilians,” and called for the formation of  “international committees to investigate war crimes committed by Israel in Gaza”.

Hamas’s statement was made Thursday night before Israel claimed that one of the four returned deceased bodies by the group was not of captives.