Hamas says Israel escalating Gaza attacks to derail ceasefire understandings

Hamas accused Israel on Sunday of deliberately escalating its attacks on the Gaza Strip to derail understandings reached with mediators and the US administration on completing implementation of the ceasefire agreement. In a statement, the Palestinian group said Israeli attacks since Sunday morning had killed more than 18 Palestinians and "wiped out" entire families. The bombardment constituted "a deliberate escalation by the government of war criminal Netanyahu, aimed at obstructing the understandings reached with the mediators, including the US administration, to complete the implementation of the ceasefire agreement," it said. Hamas called on the mediators and guarantors of the ceasefire agreement to "assume their responsibilities," condemn the Israeli attacks and "immediately" pressure Israel to halt its assaults and comply with the agreement. The group described the attacks as acts that "amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity," and called on the international community to take legal action to hold Israeli leaders accountable. It also urged measures to protect Palestinians, who it said continued to face "the threat of genocide and displacement." On Friday, the Peace Board and US President Donald Trump announced an agreement to implement the next phase of the Gaza ceasefire, with the board saying Hamas had accepted a detailed roadmap. Israel has not officially commented on the proposal.