The Palestinian resistance movement Hamas’ political leader Ismail Haniyeh says Israel’s increasing use of force against the people of Gaza will not cause the resistance to accept a ceasefire deal that does not meet the demands of the Palestinians.
“If the (Israeli) occupation believes that it can impose its choices on us by force, then it is delusional,” Haniyeh said in a statement on Saturday.
The comments came after Israel launched a massive attack on the refugee camp in al-Nuseirat area in central Gaza.
An update on the number of casualties from the attack provided by the Hamas-run health authorities in Gaza showed that some 210 people had been killed and another 400 had been wounded in the brutal Israeli attack on the displaced Palestinians.
Haniyeh said, however, that the attack would not dent the resolve of the Palestinian people amid efforts to force Hamas and other resistance groups in Gaza to accept conditions set by Israel and its ally the US for a ceasefire.
“Our people will not surrender and the resistance will continue to defend our rights in the face of this criminal enemy,” he said.
Ignoring growing international condemnations of the attack on Nuseirat, Israel boasted on Saturday that it had secured the release of four captives held by Hamas for more than eight months.
Senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri said that “regaining four captives after nine months of fighting is a sign of failure not an achievement.”
Israel’s aggression on Gaza has left nearly 37,000 people dead. The brutal campaign started in October after Hamas and other resistance groups in Gaza carried out an unprecedented operation into the Israeli-occupied territories, killing 1,200 Israeli settlers and military forces and taking over 200 as captives.
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