Hamas on Friday accused Israel of violating their ceasefire agreement, alleging delays in the entry of humanitarian aid and essential shelter materials, a day before the scheduled exchange of three Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners.
The Palestinian group claimed Israel had blocked hundreds of aid trucks and allowed only a fraction of the tents and mobile homes needed for displaced Gazans returning to devastated areas. The accusations come as an Israeli negotiating team prepares to depart for Doha to discuss the next phase of the agreement, which aims to secure the release of dozens more hostages and a potential Israeli troop withdrawal from Gaza.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed the allegations, while Israeli military officials said they were assessing the situation ahead of further negotiations.
The ceasefire, now in its third week, has largely held despite sporadic accusations from both sides. However, deep mistrust remains following the October 7 Hamas-led attack on Israel, which killed around 1,200 people and led to the capture of over 250 hostages. Israel’s subsequent military campaign has killed more than 47,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health officials, and left much of the enclave in ruins.