
Smoke billows following an Israeli strike that targeted a building in the Bureij camp for Palestinian refugees in the central Gaza Strip. AFP
"We have fully abided by the agreement, and neither the mediators nor the guarantors have presented any evidence of violations or obstruction on our part," Hamas said in a statement.
It added: "The (Israeli) occupation has violated the agreement since day one, committing numerous crimes and serious violations against civilians."
The fragile ceasefire in Gaza appeared to be on the brink of collapse on Sunday, after Israel launched airstrikes on Rafah in the south and Jabalia in the north. The Gaza Government Media Office reported that Israel had committed 47 documented violations since the ceasefire took effect, killing at least 38 Palestinians.
According to Hamas, Israeli forces operated "beyond the boundaries of the Yellow Line as stipulated in the agreement."
Hamas also warned that Israel has continued to enforce its blockade, in violation of the agreement.
"The occupation has failed to comply with the humanitarian protocol and has blocked the entry of many essential food items," said the group.
"It has also prevented the entry of necessary materials for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of infrastructure," it added.
Earlier on Sunday, the group denounced Israel's decision to keep the Rafah border crossing closed "until further notice," calling it a "blatant violation of the ceasefire agreement" and a "renunciation of commitments made to mediators and guarantor parties."
On the issue of Palestinian prisoners, Israel had failed to release all eligible detainees, added Hamas. "The occupation continues to stall and refuses to release women and children who remain in detention."
On Sunday, Israel returned the bodies of 15 Palestinians to Gaza, bringing the total number handed over to 150, according to the Palestinian health ministry.
Families in Gaza have faced significant difficulties in identifying the bodies of their loved ones, as many have been returned bound, mutilated, and showing signs of torture and possible organ theft.
In this context, Hamas slammed Tel Aviv for committing war crimes over its treatment of Palestinian bodies.
"Israel has abused the bodies of martyrs—a war crime and a crime against humanity."
Earlier on Sunday, Hamas issued a statement saying it had recovered the body of an Israeli captive and would hand it over later Sunday "if field conditions allow".
If the handover goes ahead, it will mark the 13th deceased captive returned by Hamas since the truce took effect last week.
Still, Hamas has warned that ongoing Israeli strikes and restrictions on heavy equipment needed to clear rubble have hindered efforts to recover the remaining bodies of Israeli captives.
The current ceasefire and prisoner exchange deal—brokered by Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey, and based on a US proposal—was agreed on 9 October and took effect the following day.
The first phase of the agreement included a formal end to the war, the withdrawal of Israeli forces to the "Yellow Line," the return of Israeli captives (both living and deceased), and the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.
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