Ismail Haniyeh Renews His Rejection of Excluding Hamas from Any Settlement Regardent Gaza’s Future
The head of Hamas's political bureau asserts that Israel's insistence on pressing forward with its military operation in Rafah jeopardizes ceasefire negotiations, with the outcome remaining uncertain
Hamas‘s political bureau chief, Ismail Haniyeh, warned today, Wednesday, against Israel’s insistence on pressing ahead with its military operation in Rafah, southern Gaza, putting negotiations with Israel on prisoner release and cessation of war in jeopardy, once again rejecting the exclusion of the movement from any settlement concerning the future of the Gaza Strip.
In a televised speech marking the 76th anniversary of the Palestinian Nakba, Haniyeh stated that Hamas “responded positively to the efforts of Egyptian and Qatari mediators to reach an agreement for a ceasefire in Gaza and a prisoner exchange with Israel, but Israel’s amendments to the last proposal have put negotiations at an impasse.”
Haniyeh emphasized that the future of the Gaza Strip will be decided by Hamas in consultation with other Palestinian factions, with this statement coming hours after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu affirmed that “the day after the war will be mere empty talk if Hamas remains intact.”
He said, “We agree with our brothers in Egypt on the necessity of an immediate withdrawal of the enemy from the Rafah crossing and all areas of the territory,” stressing that Israel has no right to interfere in the management of the crossing.
Haniyeh criticized the U.S. stance on the war in Gaza, stating that the United States “continues to favor the enemy and provide political support and cover for the genocidal war it is waging against our people.”
Regarding the scenarios concocted by Israel and the United States regarding what they term “the day after the war in Gaza,” Haniyeh assured that this day “will be in accordance with the interests of our Palestinian people.”
Netanyahu has previously asserted that he will not allow a “Hamastan” or “Fatahstan,” meaning the Hamas and Fatah movements, in the Gaza Strip after the war ends, insisting on maintaining security control over the Palestinian territory, disregarding U.S. and Western rejection of reoccupying Gaza.
Today, Wednesday, Netanyahu urged Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant to eliminate Hamas and do so “without excuses,” after suggesting that Palestinian elements supported by Arab countries take control of the Gaza Strip, referring to the Palestinian Authority.
In recent months, many countries, led by the United States, have repeatedly asked Netanyahu to present a plan for “the day after the war in Gaza,” while Washington has proposed bolstering the Palestinian Authority to manage Gaza, which Netanyahu opposes.
