Eurasia Press & News
Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya warned that escalating Israeli attacks threaten Gaza’s ceasefire, urging mediators and guarantors to intervene immediately.
Key Takeaways
Hamas political bureau chief Khalil al-Hayya warned that Israel’s escalating attacks could lead to the collapse of the Gaza ceasefire agreement.
At least 17 Palestinians were killed in three Israeli strikes over 24 hours, including nine in an attack on Gaza City’s police headquarters.
Al-Hayya said the attacks demonstrate Israel’s disregard for mediation efforts and placed responsibility on mediators and guarantors to protect the agreement.
The escalation follows talks in Cairo aimed at advancing the next phase of the ceasefire arrangement.
Al-Hayya Warns of Ceasefire Collapse
Hamas political bureau chief Khalil al-Hayya warned on Wednesday that escalating Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip could threaten the continuation of the ceasefire agreement, calling on mediators and guarantors to intervene to prevent its collapse.
In a statement, al-Hayya condemned Israel’s ongoing crimes and deliberate killings, which intensified on Tuesday and continued Wednesday with an Israeli attack targeting senior members of Gaza’s Palestinian police.
Al-Hayya said the latest attacks demonstrate that “the occupation is continuing its criminal policy, disregarding all mediations and guarantees.”
Their continuation, he warned, places mediators and guarantors before “a major and pivotal responsibility” to stop the escalation and preserve the ceasefire.
The statement came amid a sharp escalation in Israeli attacks across Gaza, with at least 17 Palestinians killed in three strikes over the previous 24 hours.
Nine Killed in Attack on Gaza Police
Nine Palestinians were killed and 15 others wounded on Wednesday when Israeli occupation forces targeted the Municipality Police headquarters in Gaza City, according to Al Mayadeen.
The attack killed officers and members of Gaza’s civil police force.
The Palestinian Interior and National Security Ministry condemned the strike and called on mediators and the international community to intervene urgently.
“All the claims made by the occupation to justify its crimes are false, and the occupation is working to eliminate the police force to spread chaos within Palestinian society,” the ministry said.
It argued that the absence of effective international action had encouraged further Israeli attacks on Gaza’s police.
“International silence on the continued targeting of the police force in Gaza, and the lack of effective action by mediators, has encouraged the occupation to commit more massacres against the police force,” it added.
The attack was one of three Israeli strikes reported over the previous 24 hours, targeting a café and police headquarters in Gaza City and a motorcycle in the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza.
Six Killed in Gaza Port Café Strike
The latest escalation began on Tuesday evening when Israeli forces bombed a crowded café in the fishermen’s port area west of Gaza City.
At least six Palestinians, including a child, were killed in the attack, while others were wounded, some critically.
The strike prompted Hamas to accuse Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of deliberately attempting to undermine ongoing efforts to consolidate the ceasefire.
Hamas said Tuesday that the timing of the attack, following recent talks in Cairo and amid continuing mediation efforts, demonstrated Netanyahu’s intention to sabotage negotiations.
The movement reaffirmed its commitment to the ceasefire and called on the United States, mediators and guarantors to pressure Israel to comply with the agreement.
Escalation Follows Cairo Talks
The Israeli attacks come as diplomatic efforts continue to advance the next phase of the Gaza ceasefire.
Recent talks in Cairo involving Hamas and mediators focused on a roadmap for implementing the second phase of the agreement.
Hamas announced that it had agreed to the roadmap presented by mediators, saying its decision was intended to advance a permanent ceasefire and secure the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.
The movement has maintained that it complied with the first phase of the agreement while accusing Israel of repeated violations and military escalation.
Al-Hayya’s latest warning places renewed pressure on the mediators and guarantors, arguing that continued Israeli attacks could jeopardize the diplomatic process altogether.
For Hamas, he said, preventing the agreement from collapsing now requires those mediating the process to act against the continuing Israeli escalation rather than merely issuing guarantees.
