Hamas maintains contact with mediators as Israel resumes strikes on Gaza

The Palestinian movement Hamas remains in communication with mediators from Egypt and Qatar amid Israel’s renewed military operations in the Gaza Strip.

Osama Hamdan, a member of Hamas’ political bureau, confirmed the ongoing discussions in an interview with Qatari TV channel Al Jazeera, per Caliber.Az.

“We are constantly in contact with Egypt and Qatar to deter Israeli aggression against the Palestinians,” Hamdan stated. However, he clarified that Hamas has not yet received “any new proposals from Cairo to end the war in Gaza.”

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reaffirmed his government’s commitment to escalating military action against Hamas. In a televised address, Netanyahu declared that Israel would intensify its strikes on Gaza and that any future negotiations would proceed without a ceasefire.

“We will intensify military pressure. From now on, Israel will act against the Palestinian Hamas movement with increasing military force, and negotiations will be conducted only under fire,” he said.

Netanyahu accused Hamas of being responsible for the collapse of the previous truce, stating that the group had rejected all proposed extensions.

“I have said many times: if Hamas rejects all our proposals, we will resume fighting, and so we have indeed returned to fighting, we have returned to fighting with all our might,” Netanyahu added.

Expressing confidence in achieving Israel’s objectives, Netanyahu reiterated that the military campaign would continue until all hostages were released, Hamas was dismantled, and Gaza no longer posed a threat to Israel.

Israel and Hamas had initially agreed to a truce beginning on January 19, which officially lasted until March 1. While neither side formally extended the ceasefire, hostilities had not resumed immediately. However, Israel launched renewed airstrikes on Gaza on March 18, citing Hamas’ refusal to accept a ceasefire extension plan proposed by the US.

Hamas, in turn, warned that Israel’s decision to continue military operations amounted to a “death sentence” for the hostages it continues to hold.

By Tamilla Hasanova