Hamas says US must oblige Israel to move to phase two

Hamas has called on the United States to compel Israel to fulfil the remaining obligations of the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement and move toward implementing its second phase, the group’s spokesperson said on Thursday.

Speaking to The New Arab’s Arabic edition, Hazem Qassem said Hamas was demanding that Washington “oblige the occupation” to complete phase one of the deal, arguing that recent US statements on launching the second phase must be translated into concrete steps on the ground.

Qassem described comments by US envoy Steve Witkoff on advancing to ‘Phase Two’ of US President Donald Trump‘s plan as “a positive and important development”, but stressed that Israel must be forced to abide by what was agreed.

He said Hamas had fully complied with its commitments under the ceasefire, including those related to the prisoner exchange.

According to Qassem, the group has handed over all captives in its custody, except “the final body”, which Israeli military destruction across Gaza has made inaccessible due to widespread demolition, bulldozing and rubble.

“We are genuinely committed to fully closing the exchange file,” Qassem said.

Gaza governance and weapons talks

On the future administration of Gaza, Qassem said Hamas was fully prepared to hand over management of the enclave to an independent technocratic committee.

He said the committee would assume comprehensive responsibility for governing Gaza, and that Hamas would facilitate its work and ensure its success.

“All issues are on the table of this committee,” he said.

Regarding weapons, Qassem said Hamas was ready to engage in national dialogue aimed at reaching internal Palestinian understandings, including discussions over the issue of the group’s arms, within a broad national framework.

Qassem said contacts with regional and international mediators remain ongoing, noting that these mediators are, in turn, in contact with the United States and Israel.

He added that Israel’s recent escalation had once again demonstrated “the occupation’s behaviour aimed at sabotaging President Trump’s peace plan”, both in the first phase and by obstructing the transition to the second.

On Thursday evening, Israeli forces carried out a series of air strikes and shelling attacks on western Gaza City and central areas of the enclave, including Nuseirat and Deir al-Balah, killing more than ten Palestinians, among them women and children.

Witkoff: contact with Hamas is necessary

Speaking to reporters in Florida on Thursday evening, Witkoff said that meeting with Hamas was necessary, adding that he would be prepared to do so again if needed.

He stressed the importance of maintaining communication with the group and highlighted the reopening of the Rafah crossing as a key confidence-building step.

“We have to open it. We promised,” Witkoff said, referring to Rafah, which Israel had kept closed since taking military control of it in May 2024.

Israel has conditioned the reopening of the crossing on the return of the remains of its final captive in Gaza.

Commenting on that linkage, Witkoff said “part of the issue relates to building trust”, adding that moving to phase two of the agreement was critically important for both Palestinians and Israelis. “We have to live in peace,” he said.

Israel’s closure of Rafah has allowed only minimal amounts of humanitarian aid into Gaza, worsening an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe in the besieged enclave.

Witkoff suggested that Hamas may agree to disarm, saying he could meet the group’s leaders again if necessary.

A previous meeting was held in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, in October 2025, between Witkoff, Jared Kushner, and a Hamas delegation led by Khalil al-Hayya.

During that meeting, Hamas agreed to Trump’s plan to end Israel’s war on Gaza, according to US officials.

“I met Hamas, and that was the key to the agreement and the turning point in the Gaza ceasefire,” Witkoff said. “It may become necessary to meet them again, and we will be able to prove that disarmament is the best option for achieving long-term peace.”

Despite continued Israeli violations in Gaza, Witkoff also spoke of plans to rebuild the enclave, saying the reconstruction effort would make Gaza “a wonderful place”.