Hamas calls for implementing second ceasefire phase as Israel endorses Gaza truce extension

Palestinian group Hamas on Sunday (March 2) said that it demands implementing a second phase of the ceasefire after Israel approved a temporary extension of the initial phase.

Hamas leader Mahmoud Mardawi said in a statement to AFP, “The only way to achieve stability in the region and to secure the return of the prisoners is to fully implement the agreement, starting with the second phase.”

The first phase of the ceasefire was set to expire over the weekend, and there was uncertainty about the second phase, which is expected to lead to a more lasting end to the Gaza conflict.

Israel’s proposal to extend first phase

Israel announced on Sunday that it would temporarily extend the truce in Gaza as a interim measure, following the conclusion of the first phase of the ceasefire with Hamas.

The extension, proposed by US President Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, is set to last through Ramadan, which ends in late March, and Passover, which occurs in mid-April, according to the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office.

According to statements by Israeli officials, the extension would involve the release of half of the hostages still held in Gaza on the day the agreement goes into effect. The remaining hostages would be released at the end of the extension, contingent upon reaching an agreement for a permanent ceasefire.

Hamas has previously rejected the idea of an extension, preferring to proceed to the next phase of talks.

Negotiations thus far have been inconclusive, leaving the fate of hostages still held in Gaza uncertain and the lives of more than two million Palestinians at risk.

The Hamas attack that began the Gaza war resulted in the deaths of 1,218 people, mostly civilians, while the Israeli retaliation has killed 48,388 people in Gaza, also mostly civilians, figures from both sides show.

With inputs from AFP