Senior Hamas official Taher Nounou on Thursday confirmed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's statement from earlier this week, saying that negotiations on the second phase of the ceasefire and hostage release deal have not yet begun.
In an interview with Al Jazeera, Nounou stated that Hamas emphasized the need to immediately start talks on the second phase of the ceasefire agreement, and now it is the job of the mediators to remove the obstacles to advancing the negotiations.
He stated that Hamas is interested in implementing the ceasefire agreement, demands that Israel fulfill all its commitments within this framework, and holds Israel responsible for delays in the negotiations for the implementation of the second phase of the agreement.
Hamas spokesperson Abdul Latif al-Qanoua, meanwhile, said that the terrorist organization is ready to release Israeli hostages on Saturday if Israel meets its commitments.
"What the occupation could not achieve through military actions, it will not achieve through threats, deception, or negotiations," said al-Qanoua.
He added that Hamas is committed to the timeline of the ceasefire agreement and will monitor Israel's behavior over the next 48 hours.