Al-Qassam Brigades Accuse Israel of Obstructing Ceasefire Implementation

GAZA – The Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Palestinian group Hamas, stated on Sunday (5 April 2026) that Israel is obstructing the implementation of the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip.

After Israel’s efforts to evade its obligations, Washington announced in mid-January 2026 the start of the second phase of the agreement. The ceasefire agreement has been in effect since 10 October 2025 under the Gaza plan of US President Donald Trump.

“What is needed is to put pressure on Israel to fulfil its obligations in the first phase of the ceasefire agreement before discussing the second phase, as well as to hold the American government accountable,” said the spokesperson for the Al-Qassam Brigades, Abu Ubaida, in a statement.

Last Friday, Hamas stated that its delegation, led by Gaza chief Khalil al-Hayya, met with Egyptian officials and representatives of Palestinian factions.

The delegation also held a meeting with Nikolay Mladenov, the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East peace process, in the presence of mediators from Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey.

The delegation emphasised the need for full implementation of the first phase of the agreement and noted that they have received an invitation to continue talks in Cairo in the coming days.

The ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas came into effect on 10 October 2025, after mediation by Turkey, Egypt, and Qatar.

Since then, Israel has continuously violated the agreement, with the Gaza Health Ministry reporting 716 Palestinian deaths and 1,968 others injured since the ceasefire was imposed.

The agreement is intended to end Israel’s war of more than two years, which has killed more than 72,000 people, injured more than 172,000, and caused extensive damage to around 90 per cent of civilian infrastructure, with reconstruction costs estimated by the UN at around $70 billion.