Hamas pulls out of ceasefire talks, denouncing Israeli ‘massacres’ against ‘unarmed civilians’

The announcement follows the attack on the Al-Mawasi camp in the Gaza Strip on Saturday, which left at least 92 dead according to the Palestinian Islamist movement.

An attack with serious diplomatic repercussions. Hamas decided on Sunday, July 14, to withdraw from negotiations on a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip the day after an Israeli strike that targeted its military leader, two senior officials of the Palestinian Islamist movement announced to AFP. According to one of them, Hamas “is however ready to resume negotiations” when Israel “will be serious about reaching a ceasefire agreement” and on the release of hostages held in Gaza since October 7, in exchange for Palestinians held by Israel.

A senior official of the Palestinian Islamist movement told AFP of the movement’s decision to withdraw from indirect negotiations for a ceasefire with Israel conducted via the mediating countries (Qatar, Egypt and the United States). He denounced the “massacres” Israelis “against unarmed civilians”Hamas political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh informed regional mediators and stakeholders of the decision, he added.

The announcement comes after Israeli strikes killed 92 Palestinians in the al-Mawasi displacement camp near Khan Younis on Saturday, according to Hamas, and 20 dead in the al-Shati refugee camp in Gaza City, according to the Civil Defense. The victims were mainly women and children, according to these sources.

For its part, Israel claimed to have targeted in the Khan Younis area two senior Hamas leaders, Mohammed Deif and Rafa Salama, respectively head of the armed wing and commander in Khan Younis of Hamas, presented as “two masterminds of the October 7 massacre”. “The strike was carried out in a fenced area run by Hamas where, according to our information” was not found “no civilian”the Israeli army defended itself, saying that “Most of the victims were terrorists”.

On Saturday evening, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that there was no “no certainty” that Mohammed Deif and Rafa Salama were “eliminated”A senior official in the Palestinian movement confirmed that Mohammed Deif was still alive. He “is doing well and directly overseeing the operations of the al-Qassam Brigades”the armed wing of Hamas, “and resistance”he said.