Hamas furious over aid halt: "Immoral punishment"

Hamas' political leadership released a scathing statement of protest today (Sunday) in response to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's announcement that no humanitarian aid would be allowed into the Gaza Strip until the hostages are released.

According to Hamas' statement, "The message from Netanyahu's government office regarding adopting American proposals to extend the first phase of the agreement, according to arrangements that contradict the Gaza ceasefire agreement - is a blatant attempt to evade the agreement and avoid entering negotiations for the entire second phase.

Hamas then called on the international community to respond, but did not threaten a renewal of the war: "Netanyahu's decision to stop humanitarian aid is cheap extortion, a war crime, and a blatant coup against the agreement - the mediators and the international community must act to pressure Israel and stop its punitive and immoral measures against more than two million people in the Gaza Strip."

Hamas then emphasized that the only way to proceed was in accordance with the terms of the original agreement: "The behavior of Netanyahu and his government clearly violates Article 14 of the agreement, which stipulates that all measures related to the first phase will continue in the second phase, and that the guarantors will do everything in their power to ensure that negotiations continue until an agreement is reached on the terms of implementing the second phase.

"We call on the American administration to stop its bias, we reemphasize our commitment to implementing the signed agreement in all three phases, and we have repeatedly declared our willingness to begin negotiations on the second phase of the agreement. We call on the mediators to pressure Israel to implement its obligations under the agreement, in all its phases, to implement the humanitarian protocol and to bring shelter equipment and aid into the Gaza Strip. We emphasize that the only way to return the hostages is to abide by the agreement, to immediately enter negotiations on the beginning of the second phase, and for Israel to fulfill its obligations."