A senior Hamas official, Sami Abu Zuhri, has issued a stark warning to Israel, accusing Benjamin Netanyahu of jeopardizing the ceasefire agreement and the fate of Israeli captives by delaying the release of a scheduled group of Palestinian prisoners.  

"We are not the weak or defeated party in order for the Israeli occupation to dictate its conditions to us," Abu Zuhri stated in press remarks on Sunday. "Netanyahu is not only tampering with the agreement but also with the fate of Israeli prisoners."

Abu Zuhri described the Israeli decision to postpone the prisoner release as a "stupid step," emphasizing the gravity of the situation. "Netanyahu does not know the gravity of his step, so we call on the mediators to assume their responsibility in this regard," he added.

He further asserted that Hamas had treated Israeli captives with respect, referencing the public displays of prisoners interacting with Hamas fighters. "We have treated the Zionist prisoners with respect, and the scene of a prisoner kissing the head of a resistance fighter is a practical response to the Israeli lies," Abu Zuhri said.

Abu Zuhri concluded by asserting that Hamas holds leverage in the negotiations and will take action to ensure Israel abides by the agreement.

"Netanyahu wants to maneuver, but we have the cards that will force him to abide by the agreement," he warned. (ILKHA)