Palestinian Islamic Jihad condemned renewed Israeli operations as "massacre"

The Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) has condemned Israel’s renewed military operations in Gaza, calling it "a continuation of carrying out further massacres" as part of what the group described as Israel’s “war of extermination.”

In a statement issued in the early morning hours of March 18, the PIJ also accused Israel of sabotaging all efforts to reach a cease-fire, blaming the international community for failing to intervene, Caliber.Az reports via Israeli media.

“This new aggression will not give the enemy superiority over the resistance, either on the ground or in negotiations," the statement declared. “Nor will it pull Netanyahu and his bloodthirsty Nazi government out of the crises from which they are fleeing."

The PIJ emphasized that the Israeli military, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, had failed to achieve their goals during 15 months of conflict marked by extensive bloodshed.

The group further stressed that they would continue to resist, citing the “resilience of our oppressed people and the courage of our mujahideen in the fields of jihad and resistance.”

Israel resumed military operations in Gaza on March 15, 2025, following the collapse of a cease-fire agreement that had been in place since January 2025. The cease-fire had been broken when Hamas refused to release additional hostages, which led to Israel launching airstrikes on March 15 targeting Hamas infrastructure and leadership.

The mutual accusations between Israel and Hamas over violating the ceasefire terms further escalated the conflict. Israel accuses Hamas of not fully adhering to the ceasefire’s provisions, particularly in terms of the hostages’ release. Israel claims that Hamas is deliberately delaying the process of freeing the remaining hostages, which is seen as a breach of the agreement.

On the other hand, Hamas accuses Israel of failing to fulfil its obligations, including not releasing the agreed-upon number of Palestinian prisoners and continuing military operations that harm civilians. The accusations of non-compliance and the failure to meet the terms of the ceasefire have made it difficult to sustain peace efforts, and both sides are blaming each other for the breakdown in negotiations.

By Khagan Isayev