Hamas has insisted it will not disarm unless an independent Palestinian state is established, pushing back against a key Israeli condition for ending the war in Gaza. Mediated negotiations between Hamas and Israel, which looked to secure a 60-day ceasefire, as well as the release of hostages, ended in deadlock last week.

In its statement, Hamas said it could not yield its right to ‘armed resistance’ unless a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital is established

Nothing in Gaza has changed since US envoy Steve Witkoff’s visit, with hospitals receiving dozens more casualties from aid sites.