Hamas says no point in ceasefire talks as Israel continues ‘starvation war’

There is no point in holding any ceasefire talks with Israel as it continues “the hunger and extermination war”, Bassem Naim, member of Hamas’s political bureau said yesterday.

He called on the international community to pressure the Israeli occupation government to stop the “crime of hunger, thirst and killing” practiced against Palestinians.

“There is no sense in engaging in talks or considering new ceasefire proposals as long as the hunger and extermination war continues in the Gaza Strip,” he told AFP.

Senior Hamas leader, Mahmoud Mardawi, has stressed that the movement will not bend to pressure and blackmail or give up the rights of Palestinians and their holy sites.

READ: Israeli plan to expand Gaza war means ‘sacrificing’ hostages: Hamas

“The resistance will not accept the Israeli offer presented on April 13 under threat, and we adhere to our firm position, which is widely accepted by the people,” he said, explaining that the movement rejects partial agreements.

“There will be no deal unless it is comprehensive, including a complete ceasefire, a full withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, reconstruction of what was destroyed by the war, and the release of all prisoners on both sides,” he added.

Mardawi’s statements come amid media reports that the United States has set President Donald Trump’s upcoming visit to the region as a deadline for reaching a new deal regarding the Israeli captives, warning of a large-scale Israeli military operation if the negotiations fail.

The Axios website quoted Israeli officials as saying that the plan to expand the war in Gaza includes the establishment of a “unified humanitarian zone” where the Palestinians can go or leave the Gaza Strip.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed deep concern about Israel’s plans to expand its military operations in Gaza, warning that the plans “will lead to countless civilian casualties and widespread destruction in the Gaza Strip.”

He also called for an immediate end to the violence and the protection of civilian lives.

READ: Hundreds of thousands of Gazans eat only one meal every 2-3 days amid Israeli siege, UNRWA says