Hamas has held Nikolay Mladenov, the senior Gaza representative at the Board of Peace, responsible for the latest Israeli escalation in Gaza, while confirming that intense talks with mediators and regional parties remain ongoing in an effort to halt the violence. Sources within Hamas in Gaza said a delegation from the movement is preparing to travel to Cairo for discussions on the implementation phases of the Gaza ceasefire agreement that has theoretically been in place since October. The talks come despite continued Israeli assassinations of gunmen from Gaza factions and airstrikes that have destroyed homes and killed civilians, including children, across the enclave. More than 930 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since the ceasefire was announced, bringing the overall death toll since October 2023 to nearly 73,000, according to figures cited by the movement. Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem said Sunday that the group was pursuing efforts “in all directions” to ensure implementation of the ceasefire and compel Israel to fulfill the commitments of the first phase of the agreement. Qassem blamed both the Board of Peace and Mladenov for the Israeli escalation, deepening an already growing dispute between the two sides. Indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas remain deadlocked. Hamas insists that Israel implement the first phase of the agreement, including withdrawal from occupied areas in Gaza and the unrestricted entry of aid and commercial goods. Israel, meanwhile, is pressing for the disarmament of Palestinian factions as the central condition of the agreement’s second phase. On Saturday, Hamas accused Israel of violating the agreement after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered Thursday the army to seize control of over 70 percent of Gaza’s territory. Netanyahu acknowledged that Israeli forces currently occupy 60 percent of Gaza. Egypt is expected to host the Hamas delegation as part of mediation efforts aimed at narrowing differences between the group and Israel, particularly regarding weapons issues and implementation of the ceasefire’s initial phase through a step-by-step approach. The diplomatic activity comes amid intensified Israeli operations in Gaza, including strikes targeting members of Hamas’ armed wing, the Qassam Brigades, and Palestinian Islamic Jihad. Among those targeted in recent days were operatives allegedly involved in the Oct. 7, 2023, attack, as well as figures tied to weapons manufacturing. Former Egyptian Deputy Foreign Minister Rakha Ahmed Hassan noted that the US-Israel war on Iran had negatively affected the Gaza file and enabled Israel to intensify military operations. Rather than a gradual withdrawal, he argued, Israel has pursued “a gradual occupation,” reflecting what he described as an Israeli plan rather than an American peace initiative. Hassan said mediators are now exploring new formulas regarding Hamas weapons, including storage or third-party custody arrangements. Palestinian political analyst Nizar Nazzal said mediators may propose temporary measures to prevent further deterioration, but warned such efforts would likely face Israeli resistance and insufficient international pressure on Tel Aviv.
