Hamas Rejects Ceasefire Talks as Israel Threatens Expanded Gaza Offensive

Hamas has announced that it will not engage in any ceasefire negotiations with Israel while the conflict in Gaza continues, rejecting the latest diplomatic overtures aimed at ending the war and securing the release of hostages.

“There is no sense in engaging in talks or considering new ceasefire proposals as long as the hunger war and extermination war continue in the Gaza Strip,” Hamas official Basem Naim told AFP on Tuesday. The statement came in direct response to Israel’s newly issued ultimatum to the terror group, warning that failure to accept its terms would result in a significantly intensified military campaign.

On Monday, Israel offered Hamas a new ceasefire proposal, which includes a 45-day truce in exchange for the release of at least 10 hostages. The plan, developed and approved by the Israeli security cabinet Sunday night, aims to shift the military strategy from limited raids to broader, sustained control over key areas in Gaza.

A senior Israeli official explained that the new plan will involve seizing and holding territory, relocating Gaza’s population southward for their safety, halting Hamas’s control over aid distribution, and executing a series of powerful strikes to dismantle the group’s infrastructure. “All actions are designed to help bring about Hamas’s defeat,” the source said.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told ministers that the revised military approach is essential to achieving Israel’s two core war goals: eliminating Hamas as a governing and military entity, and bringing home the remaining Israeli hostages. “This plan is effective because it can achieve both primary objectives,” he said. “It differs from previous plans by shifting from targeted raids to seizing territory and maintaining control over it.”

Despite Hamas’s outright rejection, Qatar has indicated that mediation efforts remain ongoing. A spokesperson for the Qatari Foreign Ministry confirmed that talks are still underway, although their outcome remains uncertain in light of Hamas’s current stance.

The situation highlights the deepening intransigence of Hamas and the growing resolve within Israel to take decisive action. The rejection of even the most moderate ceasefire offers underscores the terrorist group’s preference for prolonging conflict rather than seeking a resolution that could protect civilians and bring immediate humanitarian relief.

Israel, for its part, continues to pursue all avenues to secure the return of its citizens held hostage, while signaling that it will not relent in its mission to dismantle terror infrastructure in Gaza militarily if necessary.

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