A senior Hamas official said that there was “nothing to say” in the other talks on a new cease-fire agreement in Gaza and the release of the hostages, after Israel approved an enlarged offensive which could include the indefinite seizure of the Palestinian territory.
Bassem Naim told the BBC that the armed group would not engage with new proposals while Israel continued its “famine war”.
On Monday, the Israeli army said that the objective of the “large -scale” operation was the return of the hostages held by Hamas and its “decisive defeat”.
Israeli officials said it would imply “capturing” Gaza, to move the majority of its population and take control of aid after a two -month blocking that says the UN caused serious food shortages.
Officials also said that the offensive would only start after the visit of US President Donald Trump in the region next week, giving Hamas what they called an “opportunity window” to accept an agreement.
But Bassem Naim’s comments seemed to counter this.
The UN Secretary General, António Guterres, warned that the widened Israeli soil operations and a prolonged military presence “would inevitably lead to countless more killed civilians and the additional destruction of Gaza”.
British Prime Minister Sir Keir Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron expressed deep concern in recent developments and agreed that “a renewed peace process was necessary,” Downing Street said.
In Washington, President Trump said the United States would help provide food for Gaza, without going into detail.
“People are hungry and we will help them get food. Many people make it very, very bad,” he said. “Hamas makes it impossible because they take everything that is brought.”
Israel cut all the aid deliveries and other supplies on March 2 and resumed his offensive two weeks later after the collapse of a two-month-old ceasefire, saying that he was putting pressure on Hamas to release the hostages.
He also accused Hamas of stealing and storing aid – an allegation that the group denied.
Aid agencies have warned that no change in policy, mass famine is imminent.
They also condemned Israel’s proposal to provide aid through private companies in military centers, saying that it would be a violation of basic humanitarian principles and that they did not cooperate.
The UN said that Israel was forced under international law to ensure food and medical supplies of the Gaza population. Israel said that he was in accordance with international law and that there is no shortage of aid.
The Israeli army launched a campaign to destroy Hamas in response to an unprecedented cross -border attack on October 7, 2023, during which around 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage.
At least 52,567 people have been killed in Gaza since then, including 2,459 since the Israeli offensive resumed, according to the Ministry of Health managed by Hamas in the territory.
