Hamas leader Izzat al-Rishq said in a statement: "Hamas affirms its commitment to the ceasefire agreement," which went into effect on October 10.
He continued, "The movement emphasizes that it is the Zionist occupation that continues to violate the agreement and fabricate flimsy pretexts to justify its crimes." He considered that "Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's attempts to evade and disavow his commitments come under pressure from his extremist terrorist coalition, in an attempt to evade his responsibilities to the mediators and guarantors."
This is the first official comment from Hamas following Israeli airstrikes on the southern city of Rafah on Sunday, claiming an exchange of fire with Palestinian fighters.
In a related development, the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) rejected a US State Department statement on Sunday, which cited "credible reports" alleging that the movement would soon violate the ceasefire agreement with Israel.
Hamas said in an official statement, "These false allegations are completely consistent with misleading Israeli propaganda and provide cover for the occupation's continued crimes and systematic aggression against our people."
The movement added that "the occupation authorities formed, armed, and financed criminal gangs that carried out murders, kidnappings, thefts of aid trucks, and attacks on civilians. They have publicly acknowledged this through media outlets and video clips, confirming their involvement in spreading chaos and disrupting security."
Hamas affirmed that the police forces in Gaza, with broad popular support, are fulfilling their national duty by pursuing these gangs and holding them accountable in accordance with clear legal mechanisms, to protect citizens and public and private property.
The movement called on the US administration to stop repeating the occupation's misleading narrative and to focus on halting its repeated violations of the ceasefire agreement, particularly its support for these gangs and the provision of safe havens for them in areas under Israeli control.
Since October 8, 2023, Israel, with US support, has been committing genocide in Gaza, resulting in the deaths of 68,116 Palestinians, the injury of 170,200 others, and the destruction of 90% of the Strip's infrastructure.
