Khalil al-Hayya, deputy head of Hamas’s political bureau in Gaza, delivered the remarks in a video statement days after Israel pulled its negotiating team out of Doha for what it called “further consultations”, despite Hamas issuing what it described as a constructive response to the latest ceasefire framework.
“There is no point in continuing negotiations under the siege, genocide, and starvation of our children and women in the Gaza Strip,” al Hayya said.
He added that “the immediate and dignified entry of food and medicine to our people is a serious expression of the feasibility of continuing the negotiations.”
Al Hayya said Hamas had shown “all possible flexibility that did not conflict with the principles of our people” throughout the indirect talks. He said that “clear progress” had been made during the last round of negotiations and that Hamas had accepted key elements proposed by mediators.
“In the last round of negotiations, we agreed with what the mediators offered us regarding the withdrawal, prisoners, and aid,” he added.
But he expressed shock at Israel’s sudden departure from the talks, “we were surprised by the occupation’s withdrawal from the negotiations and its alignment with US envoy Steve Witkoff,” he added.
“The occupation’s withdrawal from the negotiations round is a transparent step aimed at wasting time and causing more genocide,” al-Hayya said.
He stated Hamas had responded to the mediators at every stage and reiterated that the Palestinian resistance had “used all its tools and relationships over the course of 22 months to stop the aggression against the people of Gaza.”
His remarks come amid growing international outrage over the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza, where aid agencies say famine-like conditions have taken hold in several areas.
More than 100 humanitarian organisations warned on Wednesday that “mass famine” has been spreading across the Gaza Strip since Israel blocked humanitarian aid from entering in early March and began providing inadequate aid through the controversial GHF at the end of May.
The Israeli and US-backed initiative has allowed an insufficient amount of relief supplies, while carrying out attacks against civilians seeking aid at the GHF sites.
Dozens of Palestinians, including several children, have died of starvation since Israel’s blockade resumed in March, according to the Palestinian health ministry.
More than 1,120 Palestinians have been killed while seeking aid at distribution sites operated by the GHF, manned by Israeli soldiers and US security contractors.