Türkiye, Egypt and Qatar, which are mediating the truce in Gaza jointly condemned on Monday the ongoing Israeli cease-fire violations in the Palestinian territory, which they said breached international law and international humanitarian law.
As the mediating countries, they expressed their "strong condemnation and denunciation of the ongoing Israeli violations in the Gaza Strip, particularly the targeting of health care facilities and medical infrastructure, and the resulting civilian casualties, including women and children, which constitute a flagrant violation of international law and international humanitarian law."
The mediators stress the need for Israel "to comply with all of its obligations under international law and to fully uphold its commitments under the cease-fire agreement," the written statement shared by the Turkish Foreign Ministry said.
Moreover, they affirmed that these violations constitute "a breach of the agreement and undermine the efforts aimed at implementing its second phase, particularly following Hamas and the Palestinian factions’ announcement of their acceptance of the road map, especially the provision concerning the confinement of weapons."
Since the declaration of a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip in October last year and the first phase of the agreement, Israel has violated it with near-daily attacks, killing hundreds of people.
Palestinian group Hamas, meanwhile, said Monday it is awaiting "a clear and official response" from the Trump-backed Board of Peace’s envoy Nickolay Mladenov and mediators regarding understandings reached on implementing the second phase of the cease-fire agreement.
“Hamas and the Palestinian factions remain committed to what was agreed regarding the implementation of the second phase of the cease-fire agreement, including the obligations of all parties,” a senior Hamas source said in a statement on the group’s Telegram channel.
Mediators also warned that Israeli violations "threaten the path toward de-escalation and exacerbate the suffering of civilians in the Gaza Strip."
They renewed the call for ensuring the full protection of civilians, medical facilities, and humanitarian personnel, and for guaranteeing the unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance and medical supplies throughout the strip.
"The mediators also call on the international community to assume its responsibilities and exert the necessary pressure on Israel to fulfill its obligations under international law and the cease-fire agreement, in a manner that ensures the completion of President Trump’s peace plan," the statement further said.
They also noted that U.S. President Donald Trump described reaching consensus on the road map for the second phase as a “historic agreement,” as they stressed the need "to prevent any undermining of the efforts aimed at achieving a sustainable de-escalation, leading to a permanent cease-fire and an end to the humanitarian suffering in the Gaza Strip."
Trump said on Thursday there had been a breakthrough after Hamas agreed to disarm under a U.S.-backed initiative to implement the cease-fire agreement reached last year in Egypt.
