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More from the Associated Press interview with Ahmed Abdel Hadi, director of the political office of Hamas in Lebanon:
Abdul Hadi said the “military situation of the resistance is very strong and better than at the beginning of the war,” while denying reports that Hamas leaders in the war-torn territory were pressuring outside leaders to accept the current proposal. The ceasefire agreement was reached under pressure from Israel’s military assault on the Palestinian enclave.
He also said Hamas was not expected to resume its role as Gaza’s ruling party after the war.
Abdul Hadi said the future form of governance in the Gaza Strip would be a “Palestinian issue agreed upon by the Palestinian people” rather than part of the ongoing ceasefire negotiations.
“We don’t want to rule Gaza alone again in the next phase,” he said. “We need partnership and national consensus.”
He said a meeting between Hamas and its main rival Fatah, which was postponed last month, was expected to take place in China later this month.
Ahmed Abdel Hadi, the head of Hamas’ political office in Lebanon, told The Associated Press that the Palestinian group wants written assurances from mediators that Israel will not return to the war after releasing the first group of Israeli prisoners being held in the Gaza Strip.
The two sides agreed on the broad outlines of a ceasefire, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said any deal “must allow Israel to resume hostilities until all war objectives are achieved,” including the destruction of Hamas.
Hamas insists that “permanent ceasefire negotiations must continue until a permanent ceasefire is reached,” which is contrary to the language in the current ceasefire proposal, which states that the ceasefire must continue as long as ceasefire negotiations continue.
Abdul Hadi told the Associated Press that “Netanyahu can stop negotiations at any time and resume aggression.”
“We want written confirmation that negotiations are ongoing … with the goal of achieving a permanent ceasefire,” he said.
Malnutrition and disease create ‘vicious cycle’ in Gaza as displacement grows
The United Nations said in its latest situation report that the 1.9 million people displaced by Israel’s war in the Gaza Strip faced “appalling conditions,” including at a shelter in Deir el-Balah in central Gaza where 14,000 people had access to just 25 toilets.
In its latest report on the Gaza Strip, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said rising malnutrition was also making people vulnerable to disease, trapped in a “vicious cycle” of food shortages, lack of clean water, poor sanitation and lack of access to basic health services. .
The massacre continues, with 182 people killed and 458 injured from Monday to Thursday this week alone.
Recent Events Review
- Hamas accused Israel of carrying out a “planned massacre” in the Tal Hawa area of Gaza City, with Palestinian Civil Defence Forces reportedly finding at least 60 bodies after Israeli troops left the area.
- Israeli media reported that differences between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and intelligence chief David Baniya are complicating diplomatic efforts to achieve a ceasefire and prisoner release in the Gaza Strip.
- Hezbollah’s deputy leader said Israel was reluctant to launch an all-out war against the Lebanese group because it knew it would “come at a heavy price”.
- The Hezbollah-linked Lebanese Resistance Brigades launched their first attack on Israel since border clashes began following the outbreak of the Gaza Strip war.
- The International Court of Justice said it will issue an advisory opinion on the legal consequences of Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory on July 19.
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