Hamas says no to international peacekeeping force in Gaza

By Anadolu staff

GAZA CITY, Palestine (AA) - Palestinian group Hamas group on Tuesday rejected the idea of a peacekeeping force in Gaza to monitor any future cease-fire agreement with Israel.

"We stress our people's rejection of the presence of any non-Palestinian actors on our land," Izzat al-Rishq, a member of the Hamas political bureau, said in a statement.

The remarks came after it was suggested that the group approved the presence of an international peacekeeping force to monitor truce and delivery of humanitarian aid in the besieged enclave.

He said Hamas demands the presence of international organizations, especially the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, to deliver humanitarian aid to the Palestinians in Gaza.

"As for the cease-fire in case an agreement is reached, what's needed is guarantor states to the agreement not monitoring forces," Rishq said.

Israel has waged a military offensive on the Gaza Strip since an Oct. 7 cross-border attack by Hamas, which killed some 1,200 people and took around 250 as hostages.

Over 32,800 Palestinians have since been killed besides mass destruction and displacement.

Israel has also imposed a crippling blockade on the Gaza Strip, leaving its population, particularly residents of northern Gaza, on the verge of starvation.

Tel Aviv stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which last week asked the government to ensure "unhindered provision" of urgent aid to Gaza. The ICJ said, “Palestinians in Gaza are no longer facing only a risk of famine ... but that famine is setting in.”

Indirect talks between Israel and Hamas to reach a cease-fire and ensure the release of prisoners are continuing with the mediation of Qatar, Egypt and the US.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar in Ankara