GAZA — Senior Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya reaffirmed the group’s commitment to the ongoing ceasefire agreement in Gaza, stressing its determination to hand over the remains of Israeli hostages and prevent Israel from finding a pretext to resume military operations.

“We will not give the [Israeli] occupation a pretext to resume the war, and we handed over 20 Israeli prisoners in 72 hours after the ceasefire,” Hayya told Al-Jazeera in an interview late Saturday.

The first phase of the ceasefire took effect on Oct. 10 under a 20-point plan proposed by US President Donald Trump.

The agreement’s initial stage includes the release of Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, the reconstruction of Gaza, and the establishment of a new governing mechanism without Hamas.

Since Oct. 13, Hamas has released 20 living Israeli hostages and handed over the remains of 16 others, with 12 hostages still unaccounted for. Hayya said search operations would continue on Sunday to locate the remaining bodies.

On Palestinian detainees in Israeli prisons, Hayya said efforts are underway to “end the suffering of all of them,” accusing Israel of withholding information on many prisoners.

He revealed that during recent meetings with US Special Envoy for the Middle East Steve Witkoff and Trump’s senior adviser Jared Kushner, Hamas emphasized its desire for stability.

“President Trump is capable of restraining the Israeli occupation,” Hayya said.

The Hamas leader voiced dissatisfaction with the pace of humanitarian aid entering Gaza, saying, “Gaza needs 6,000 aid trucks a day, not just 600. The [Israeli] occupation is obstructing the entry of some materials as if we were still in the middle of a war.”

Hayya called on international mediators to ensure adequate aid delivery to the enclave.

On administrative arrangements under the ceasefire, he said Hamas has “no objection to any national figure residing in Gaza to manage the Strip,” and expressed support for elections as a step toward restoring Palestinian national unity.

According to Hayya, Hamas and other Palestinian factions have agreed that Gaza’s reconstruction will be managed by a UN body, with a UN peacekeeping mechanism overseeing border control and ceasefire implementation.

Addressing the issue of disarmament, Hayya said it remains conditional on the end of Israeli occupation. “If the occupation ends, these weapons will be turned to the state,” he said.

Since October 2023, Israeli attacks on Gaza have killed more than 68,000 Palestinians and injured over 170,000 others, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. — Agencies