A senior Hamas official has denied reports suggesting the group is considering transforming into a political party.
Husam Badran, a member of the Hamas political bureau, made the comments in response to a query from Russia’s news agency, Caliber.Az reports.
“We are a people living under occupation, and we have the right to resist it. This is a right guaranteed by international laws and treaties,” Badran said. He added that political parties only operate in independent states and that, under conditions of occupation, the task of movements and organisations is to resist.
His remarks followed an April 14 report by the Al Hadath television channel, which claimed that Hamas had expressed willingness to transition into a political party. According to the same report, the group also stated it would not oppose the departure of some of its leaders from Gaza, provided they are not pursued outside the Palestinian enclave.
Earlier this year, on January 15, Israel and Hamas agreed on a deal involving the release of hostages held in Gaza and the introduction of a ceasefire in the enclave. The agreement, structured in three phases, came into effect on 19 January, with the first phase ending on 1 March. However, the sides failed to agree on the implementation of the second phase during this period.
On March 18, the Israeli military resumed operations in Gaza, launching heavy strikes and effectively ending the ceasefire. The office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attributed the decision to Hamas’s rejection of proposals presented by international mediators, including US President Joe Biden’s special envoy Steven Witkoff. Israel said the renewed operation aimed to secure the release of all remaining hostages.
Hamas, meanwhile, blamed both Israel and the United States for the resumption of hostilities.
Earlier this week, Hamas received a new Israeli proposal via Egyptian intermediaries, which reportedly included a call for the group to disarm and release Israeli hostages. Although Hamas has not formally rejected the offer, it stated that the proposal lacks the necessary guarantees.
By Aghakazim Guliyev
Source: caliber.az
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