GAZA, Feb. 28 (Xinhua) -- Israel's obstruction of the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement makes it impossible to extend the first phase, a senior Hamas official said Friday.

Taher al-Nunu, a senior Hamas official, said that "Israel's disruption of the second phase of the Gaza agreement does not allow for the extension of the first phase."

He said that Hamas "does not consider negotiations for the second phase of the ceasefire agreement to have begun yet."

Al-Nunu reiterated Hamas's commitment to the ceasefire agreement, emphasizing that mediators now bear the responsibility of ensuring Israel fulfills its obligations under the deal.

An Israeli delegation proposed in Cairo extending the first stage of the Gaza ceasefire agreement for an additional 42 days, an informed Egyptian security source told Xinhua on Friday.

The talks have yet to address the second stage of the deal, which seeks to end the war in Gaza, and secure the complete Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, the source said on condition of anonymity.

Earlier on Friday, Hamas called on the international community to pressure Israel to enter the second phase of the Gaza peace deal immediately, with the 42-day initial phase of the three-stage agreement set to expire on Saturday. Enditem

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