By Anadolu staff
GAZA CITY, Palestine (AA) — The head of Hamas' Political Bureau reaffirmed Saturday that resistance forces would continue to defend Palestinian rights against Israel after attacks on the Nuseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip.
In a statement, Ismail Haniyeh asserted that Israel "continues to massacre Palestinian children and women in the Nuseirat Refugee Camp and Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip."
He said Israel has refused to halt its "war of annihilation" against the Palestinian people despite the world labeling Tel Aviv a "child murderer" — a reference to the UN adding Israel to the blacklist of countries and organizations that harm children in conflict zones.
"Our people will not surrender, the resistance will continue to defend our rights against this murderous enemy," he added.
Haniyeh emphasized that if Israel "believes it can impose its choices on the Palestinians, it must understand that that is delusional."
He further stated that Hamas "will not accept any agreement that does not guarantee the security of the Palestinian people."
Haniyeh asserted that Israel has suffered a military failure in Gaza and is now at its "lowest level" politically and morally, stressing the urgent need for action from the international community.
His remarks came after the Israeli army announced that it had managed to free four hostages held in the central Gaza Strip.
Earlier on Saturday, the Israeli army launched an offensive on several areas in the central Gaza Strip, resulting in killing over 50 Palestinians, mainly children, and the injury of dozens more, according to Palestinian medical sources.
Israel has continued its brutal offensive on Gaza since a Hamas attack last Oct. 7 despite a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire.
More than 36,800 Palestinians have since been killed in Gaza, most of them women and children, and nearly 83,700 others injured, according to local health authorities.
Eight months into the Israeli war, vast tracts of Gaza lay in ruins amid a crippling blockade of food, clean water, and medicine.
Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice, whose latest ruling ordered Tel Aviv to immediately halt its operation in the southern city of Rafah, where over a million Palestinians had sought refuge from the war before it was invaded on May 6.
* Writing by Ikram Kouachi