GAZA, March 2 (Xinhua) -- Israel's adoption of an American proposal for a temporary holiday truce is an attempt to dodge negotiations for phase two of the Gaza ceasefire agreement, Hamas said Sunday.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said Sunday that Israel has accepted the U.S. proposal for a temporary truce with Hamas in Gaza for the Ramadan and Passover holidays, hours after phase one of the Gaza ceasefire agreement expired.

"We reaffirm our commitment to implementing the signed agreement in its three stages, and we have repeatedly announced our readiness to start negotiations on the second stage of the agreement," Hamas said in a statement.

"We stress that the only way to restore the occupation hostages is to adhere to the (ceasefire) agreement, immediately enter into negotiations to begin the second phase, and for the occupation to commit to implementing its pledges," it said.

Hamas said Netanyahu's decision to block humanitarian aid into Gaza is "cheap blackmail, a war crime and a blatant coup against the agreement."

"The mediators and the international community must act to pressure the occupation and stop its punitive and immoral measures against more than 2 million people in the Gaza Strip," said Hamas. Enditem

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