No second phase of Gaza truce if Israel continues violations: Hamas

Hamas has said that the Gaza ceasefire plan cannot proceed to its second phase as long as Israeli "violations" persist and called on mediators to pressure Israel to respect the agreement.

Hamas political bureau member Hossam Badran on Tuesday accused Israel of failing to respect the Gaza ceasefire deal, noting that under its terms, Israel should have reopened the Rafah crossing with Egypt and increased the volume of aid entering the territory.

He urged the US-led mediators to pressure Israel "to complete the implementation of the first phase of the ceasefire agreement".

The ceasefire, in effect since October 10, halted Israel’s brutal war on Gaza, but it remains fragile as Israel continues its violations.

Meanwhile, an Israeli official said that authorities would allow the Allenby crossing on the Israeli-controlled border between Jordan and the occupied West Bank to reopen on Wednesday to aid trucks destined for Gaza for the first time since late September.

Restricted aid despite the deal

Under the terms of the deal, the Palestinian resistance group committed to releasing the remaining 48 living and dead captives held in the territory.

In exchange, Israel has released nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners in its custody and returned the bodies of hundreds of dead Palestinians.

The first phase of the truce also stipulates that significantly more aid is to enter Gaza.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said he expects the second phase of the deal to begin soon, but Badran said it could not start "as long as the occupation (Israel) continues its violations".

Israel's genocidal war on Gaza has killed at least 70,366 people, according to figures from Gaza’s health ministry.

The ministry says since the ceasefire came into effect, 377 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli attacks.