The Palestinian resistance movement Hamas has accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of procrastinating on negotiations for the second phase of the ceasefire deal in Gaza.

According to Hamas spokesman Abdul Latif Al-Qanou, the 'second phase negotiations have not practically begun, and we are ready to engage in them as stipulated in the agreement.' Al-Qanou stressed that Hamas remains 'committed to the ceasefire agreement as long as the Israeli occupation is committed to it.'

Hamas stated that talks with Israel on the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire deal have not yet started.

“Netanyahu is deliberately stalling the implementation of the second phase of the ceasefire agreement,” Hamas spokesperson Abdullatif Al-Qanou said.

Israel continues to… pic.twitter.com/9O6YI2iSXa

— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) February 21, 2025

The ceasefire, which was reached last month after 15 months of devastating conflict, consists of three phases, with the first phase involving the release of 33 Israeli captives in exchange for around 2,000 Palestinian prisoners.

However, the talks on the second phase, which were supposed to begin on February 3, have yet to materialize.

Netanyahu's Refusal to Negotiate Leads to Captives' Deaths The stalled negotiations come amid growing public outrage over the return of four Israeli captives, including a mother and her two children, who were killed in Israeli strikes on Gaza during the 15-month war.

Hamas has accused Netanyahu of being responsible for their deaths, stating that the 'criminal Netanyahu is crying today over the bodies of his prisoners who returned to him in coffins.' The opposition has also blamed Netanyahu for the captives' deaths, arguing that he stalled the prisoner swap for months to avoid jeopardizing his fragile coalition, which includes far-right ministers pushing for the continuation of the war in Gaza.

The International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu and his former minister of military affairs Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Additionally, the International Court of Justice is considering accusations that Israel committed genocide in its war on Gaza.

As the ceasefire talks remain in limbo, the people of Gaza continue to grapple with the aftermath of the devastating conflict, which claimed the lives of at least 48,319 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injured 111,749 others.