Hamas slams US official’s support for Israel's resumption of war

​​​​​​​By Ahmed Asmar

ANKARA (AA) - Hamas on Friday slammed statements by US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, who backed Israel's resumption of its genocidal war on the Gaza Strip and accused the Palestinian resistance group of choosing war instead of moving ahead with a ceasefire and prisoner swap deal.

Hamas said Waltz's claim that it chose war "is a distortion of the facts" and reflects "full partnership in the aggression against the Palestinian people and complicity in the Israeli crimes in Gaza."

It said it proposed clear initiatives for a ceasefire and a comprehensive swap deal but those were rejected by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu because "he intentionally failed them to achieve his own political interests as revealed by his security chiefs themselves."

Israeli Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar revealed Thursday that Netanyahu had blocked him from meeting Israeli ministers throughout 2024 to keep information about negotiations with Hamas hidden from the Israeli government. Bar claimed that Netanyahu’s actions were intended to "carry out negotiations that would not lead to an agreement."

Waltz expressed a strong backing for the renewed Israeli military onslaught against Hamas in Gaza.

“Israel has every right to defend its people from Hamas terrorists. The ceasefire would have been extended if Hamas released all remaining hostages. Instead, they chose war,” Waltz wrote on X.

For the past 16 months, Hamas has been engaged in talks with Israel -- mediated by Qatar, Egypt and the US. Negotiations, however, have yet to result in the release of all Israeli captives or the end to the war, largely due to Israel’s repeated violations of agreements and Netanyahu’s refusal to honor previous commitments.

More than 700 Palestinians have been killed and over 900 injured in a surprise aerial campaign by Israel on Gaza since Tuesday, shattering the ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement that took hold in January.

Nearly 50,000 Palestinians have been killed, mostly women and children, and more than 112,000 injured in a brutal Israeli military onslaught on Gaza since October 2023.

The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants last November for Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.