Ismail Haniyeh, the leader of the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas, said on Friday in a recording that the group is committed to the truce and hostage swap deal as long as Israel is committed as well.
The comments were made after rockets had been launched from Gaza into Israel during the enactment of the ceasefire agreement. Haniyeh's comments were also made only a day after the spokesman of Hamas' armed wing called for the escalation of the confrontation with Israel on all resistance fronts.
Hamas continues to praise the 'martyrs'
Haniyah also said, according to Al-Arabiya: "Our great people wrote a legendary epic of steadfastness, and our mujahideen deepened the wounds in the enemy and presented an unprecedented model of heroism and redemption.
"We were able, with great pride, to confront the occupation, break its will, and thwart its plans...Martyrs are the price of freedom, liberation and independence.
"The enemy bet on the recovery of the prisoners held by Al-Qassam and the resistance through murder, genocide, and all forms of terrorism, the likes of which history has never known.
"The enemy agreed to the terms of resistance and the will of our proud people, which led to the truce agreement being reached...Under the auspices of Qatar and Egypt, we entered into difficult and arduous negotiations over the past weeks, in consultation with the resistance factions, in an effort to protect our people and fulfill their needs in the face of the policy of starvation, siege, and suffocation."
"We call for escalation of the confrontation with the occupation throughout the West Bank and all resistance fronts" the spokesman for the Izz el-Deen al-Qassam Brigades, Abu Obaida, said on Thursday in a video speech aired by Al Jazeera TV.
Some 13 of the Israeli hostages that were kidnapped by Hamas are expected to be released, as part of the agreement, today at 4:00 p.m. Israel will be releasing some security prisoners in exchange.