Haniyeh Says Any Plan for 'Post-War Gaza' Without Hamas Is Doomed to Fail

Ismail Haniyeh, the Hamas leader based in Qatar, announced that any plan for 'post-war Gaza' that ignores Hamas will be rejected by the group. He blamed Israel for the current deadlock in negotiations for a ceasefire and the release of hostages, claiming that Israel's request to amend Hamas's proposal has led to the stalemate. Earlier this month, Hamas claimed to have agreed to a ceasefire with Israel, but it later became clear that the proposals from Egyptian and Qatari mediators included terms that fundamentally differed from Israel's conditions. Israel quickly rejected the proposal due to its failure to meet 'basic demands' but agreed to send a working delegation to indirect negotiations in Cairo. A few days later, Hamas announced that negotiations had ended because Israel rejected and objected to the mediators' proposal. Haniyeh emphasized that Hamas remains committed to its proposed conditions and will not accept any compromises. He also called for a ceasefire agreement to end the war in the Gaza Strip, while Israel has insisted that it will not agree to this until it achieves its goals, which include dismantling Hamas's military and governmental capabilities. The Israeli army intensified its military operations in Rafah last week, ordering residents to evacuate parts of the city. Israel claims it is conducting a limited operation to eliminate Hamas militants' infrastructure along the Gaza-Egypt border. The United States, the United Nations, and other countries have urged Israel to refrain from a full-scale assault on Rafah to prevent a humanitarian disaster in the area, but Israeli leaders argue that Rafah is the last stronghold of Hamas and that attacking it is necessary to eliminate Hamas as a threat in Gaza. Jake Sullivan, the White House National Security Advisor, stated on Monday that Israel's large military operation in Rafah puts many civilians at risk 'without a clear strategic gain.' He also noted that 'we do not believe what is happening in Gaza constitutes genocide,' adding that 'the world should demand that Hamas return to the negotiating table and accept the agreement while the United States continues to work with Israel to defeat Hamas.' The ongoing Israeli military operation in Gaza began in response to a terrorist attack by Hamas on southern Israel on October 7 of last year, which resulted in at least 1,200 deaths and over 250 hostages taken. During negotiations mediated by the United States, Qatar, and Egypt last fall, more than 100 kidnapped hostages were released in exchange for the freedom of several Palestinian prisoners. However, 133 Israeli hostages remain in Hamas's custody, and Israel believes that at least 20 of them have died. The United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union, Japan, Israel, and several other countries have designated Hamas as a terrorist organization. The Gaza Health Ministry's statistics on Palestinian casualties are under scrutiny; operations continue in Rafah. The European Union has urged Israel to immediately end operations in Rafah, while Netanyahu insists they must proceed. Netanyahu stated that the Islamic Republic was 'surprised' by the failure of its weapons in the attack on Israel. Clashes between Israeli forces and Palestinian militants continue in southern and northern Gaza. Blinken in Ukraine: The Islamic Republic of Iran, North Korea, and China have supplied weapons to Russia. Reuters reported the thwarting of a sabotage plot directed by the Islamic Republic in the Kingdom of Jordan. The Biden administration is sending over a billion dollars in weapons and ammunition to Israel. The UN Secretary-General expressed concern over Israel's military operations in Rafah; the situation in the region has worsened. The Israeli army claims to have tracked Hamas militants at the UNRWA headquarters in Rafah. The shadow of the hostages in Gaza looms over Israel's 'Independence Day.' The UN corrected Gaza casualty figures; there was a significant exaggeration in the numbers reported by Hamas.