The head of Hamas' political bureau says the Palestinian resistance remains “firmly on the battlefield” despite two and a half months of Israeli war crimes in the besieged Gaza Strip.
Meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian in the Qatari capital Doha on Wednesday, Ismail Haniyeh said the scale of the Israeli military's air, sea and ground attacks on the besieged Gaza Strip was unprecedented.
“The Zionist regime and its allies thought they could eliminate the resistance in this way and force it to raise the white flag,” he noted.
“However, the resistance has still remained steadfast on the battlefield, inflicting grave damage on the Zionist regime after 75 days of Israeli crimes and mass killings under its scorched earth policy.”
Haniyeh also praised the Palestinian nation for its unique resilience and support for the resistance, while paying a heavy price for its position.
The Palestinian nation continues its path of resistance despite Israel killing and injuring tens of thousands of people in Gaza, destroying hundreds of homes, attacking hospitals and blocking humanitarian access to the blockaded territory, he stressed.
The Hamas chief also thanked Amir-Abdollahian for following developments in Gaza and said the top Iranian diplomat had visited Qatar four times since the start of the war.
Confusion in the US over the Gaza crisis
For his part, Amir-Abdollahian stressed that Iran will continue its diplomatic efforts in support of “the oppressed but powerful and patient Palestinian nation” to end Israel's criminal aggression and siege of the Gaza Strip and counter the imposed pro-Israel political agenda.
“Today no one doubts that the resistance and the Palestinian nation have demonstrated their power and determination in the face of the Zionist regime's killing machine, despite enduring much pain and suffering and sacrificing more than 20,000 martyrs in the last 75 days,” he said.
Iran's foreign minister also condemned the US's “full and unqualified” support for Israel in the Gaza war and called on Washington to end its futile support of Tel Aviv's “crazy military strategy” as soon as possible.
He highlighted the US's confusion over its strategy on the Gaza crisis, saying: “Everyone in the White House believes that the Zionist regime must be victorious in this area.” But now they are trying to use a political method to get out of this war with dignity and to save the Israeli regime from strategic failure given the realities on the ground and the resilience of the resistance and the Palestinian people.”
New ceasefire efforts in the Gaza Strip
The meeting comes after a source close to Hamas told AFP that Haniyeh would be in Egypt on Wednesday for talks on a new ceasefire in Gaza.
Haniyeh. However, he said: “In view of Israel's attacks, there is no possibility for negotiations.”
In addition, Israeli media reported that the regime in Tel Aviv is seeking another deal with Hamas to release 30 to 40 of the 128 prisoners still held by the resistance group in Gaza.
According to the reports, Israel is ready to negotiate the number of days it will withhold fire, as well as the number and type of Palestinian abductees it would release in exchange for the prisoners. She is also ready to discuss the provision of humanitarian assistance in Gaza.
A senior Israeli official told Channel 12 that the deal “will be difficult and require high prices.”
Meanwhile, Israeli President Issac Herzog told a group of foreign ambassadors that the regime was “ready for a further humanitarian pause and additional humanitarian assistance to enable the release” of prisoners.
A humanitarian ceasefire came into effect in Gaza from November 24th to 30th. There was an exchange between 240 Palestinian abductees held by Israel and 105 prisoners of war, including 81 Israelis and 24 foreigners, held by Hamas in Gaza.
Israel waged the brutal war on Gaza on October 7 after Hamas launched Operation Al-Aqsa Storm against the usurping entity in retaliation for intensified atrocities against the Palestinian people.
Since the offensive began, the regime in Tel Aviv has killed at least 19,667 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injured 52,586 others.
Thousands more are also missing and presumed dead under the rubble in Gaza, which is under “complete siege” by Israel.