Hamas rejects further Gaza ceasefire talks amid ongoing Israeli offensive

Hamas has declared that engaging in new ceasefire discussions is pointless while Israel continues its military operations in the Gaza Strip, which the group describes as a campaign of starvation and extermination. Basem Naim, a senior Hamas political figure and former Gaza health minister, told AFP that the international community must pressure Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government to halt what he called crimes of hunger, thirst, and killing.

His remarks follow Israel’s announcement of an expanded military operation in Gaza, which includes plans to forcibly displace the majority of the population. An Israeli official confirmed that the plan involves the conquest and prolonged control of the Gaza Strip.

Since Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, nearly all of Gaza’s residents have been displaced, often multiple times. Israel has enforced a complete blockade on Gaza since March 2, pushing the region deeper into a severe humanitarian crisis. Fighting resumed on March 18 after a two-month truce ended.

On Tuesday, Gaza's civil defense reported the deaths of three Palestinians, including a young girl, due to Israeli airstrikes. The same day, the UN expressed alarm over Israel’s plans, warning that further military actions would cause additional civilian casualties and destruction.

UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq reaffirmed that Gaza must remain part of any future Palestinian state. Meanwhile, Israel's strategy involves relocating civilians from combat zones to southern Gaza, claiming it is to protect them.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot criticized the Israeli plan as a violation of humanitarian law. The forced displacement of Palestinians has reignited memories of the 1948 "Nakba," when hundreds of thousands were uprooted during the creation of Israel.

According to Gaza’s health ministry, over 2,459 Palestinians have been killed since March 18, bringing the total death toll to 52,567. Hamas’s October 7 attack killed 1,218 people in Israel, most of them civilians. Out of 251 hostages taken by militants, 58 remain in Gaza, with 34 presumed dead.