Hamas accuses Israel of delaying relief and reconstruction in Gaza

Hamas has accused Israel of delaying the implementation of relief and reconstruction agreements in Gaza, where Israeli bombing persisted for over 15 months until a cease-fire took effect on Jan. 19.

Israel “continues to stall the implementation of the relief and reconstruction process outlined in the cease-fire agreement, and there are humanitarian aid commitments it has not fully honored,” spokesperson Hazem Qassem said in a statement, offering no further details.

“Despite the massive destruction of the healthcare sector, the occupation has not permitted any restoration efforts or the entry of essential medical supplies,” Qassem added.

“Fuel deliveries remain well below what was stipulated in the agreement, and the amount reaching northern Gaza is negligible,” he said.

The spokesperson also noted that “the heavy machinery specified in the agreement has not been allowed in, preventing the retrieval of martyrs’ bodies and hindering the recovery of bodies set to be exchanged, particularly as this phase nears its end.”

Hamas calls on mediators for pressure

Hamas urged mediators Qatar and Egypt, as well as guarantors of the cease-fire agreement, to “pressure the occupation to immediately allow the entry of relief materials outlined in the agreement, including tents, fuel, food supplies, and heavy machinery, while ensuring an end to all other violations and breaches.”

Earlier, Salama Marouf, head of Gaza’s media office, described Gaza as a “humanitarian disaster zone” lacking “all basic necessities for survival and human dignity.”

The media office on Wednesday called for pressure on Israel to allow the entry of tents and caravans to shelter over a quarter of a million displaced families whose homes were destroyed in the violence.

The ongoing six-week truce is the first stage of a three-part deal that could bring an end to Israel’s war in Gaza. The military campaign has killed more than 47,000 Palestinians and left the territory in ruins.