Haniyeh says Nuseirat massacre confirms need for permanent ceasefire deal

Ismail Haniyeh said yesterday that the heinous massacre committed by the Israeli occupation forces in the Nuseirat refugee camp on Saturday confirms the need for a permanent ceasefire and a complete withdrawal of occupation troops from the Gaza Strip in any prisoner-swap ceasefire deal with Israel, Safa news agency has reported. The head of the Hamas political bureau said that this proved the “correctness” of the movement’s “unwavering demand” for such a deal.

Haniyeh made his comment during a meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan in Qatar on the sidelines of the Sixth Ministerial Meeting of the Turkey-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) High Level Strategic Dialogue.

At least 274 people were killed and nearly 700 others were wounded in an Israeli bombardment of the camp on Saturday, according to local health authorities. According to Hamas, Haniyeh and Fidan discussed developments in efforts made to stop Israel’s blatant aggression against the Palestinian people.

Fidan reviewed Turkish diplomatic efforts to support the ceasefire and the Palestinian people’s rights. He stressed Turkiye’s position regarding Hamas as a “legitimate” national liberation movement. “Turkiye will continue its political and diplomatic efforts, whether during the Turkish-GCC meeting, the BRICS group and other international groups and groupings, or through bilateral relations, in order to stop the war and secure the Palestinian people rights.”

READ: Palestinian resistance has become global struggle against oppressors, says Turkish FM