Hamas has fiercely denounced Israel’s latest plan to seize full military control of Gaza City, describing it as a “war crime” and a desperate attempt to crush Palestinian resistance, reported the Al Jazeera.
In a statement issued Friday, the Palestinian resistance movement said Israel’s use of the term “control” instead of “occupation” was a calculated move to evade legal accountability for its ongoing atrocities against the people of Gaza. Hamas also accused the occupying regime of showing complete disregard for the lives of captives in Gaza.
“They know that expanding this aggression means sacrificing them,” the statement read, holding Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu personally responsible for jeopardising both Palestinian and Israeli civilian lives.
Hamas revealed that Netanyahu’s aggressive announcement came right after Israel abruptly walked away from ceasefire and prisoner exchange negotiations — talks that, according to the group, were on the verge of success. “Through our communication with Egyptian and Qatari mediators, we offered all necessary flexibility and goodwill to secure a ceasefire and protect lives,” Hamas said.
On Thursday, Netanyahu declared Israel’s intention to seize all of Gaza, in open defiance of international law. The following day, Israel’s Security Cabinet endorsed a five-point war plan aimed at dismantling Palestinian resistance.
The plan calls for disarming Hamas, returning captives, stripping Gaza of its defence capabilities, imposing Israeli military control, and installing an “alternative civil administration” that excludes both Hamas and the Palestinian Authority — a move widely seen as an attempt to erase Palestinian self-determination.
The United Nations has cautioned that such an invasion would bring “catastrophic consequences” for Gaza’s civilian population, already enduring relentless bombardment, siege, and humanitarian crisis.
