Donald Trump is facing a huge blow to his Gaza peace deal, after Hamas threatened to quit and take up arms again. The US President scored a major diplomatic victory in October, after securing a ceasefire between the Palestinian militia and Israel.
The 20 point plan brought an end to hostilities, secured the release of the remaining Israeli hostages and promised substantial economic investment. It also called on Hamas to hand over its weapons and barred the Islamists from any future role in governing the enclave. Additionally, the deal forbade Israel from occupying or annexing the territory and guaranteed Palestinians a right to stay.
Despite the ceasefire, Israel has continued to carry out military strikes in Gaza. More than 300 Palestinians have died in the attacks since the deal was agreed, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry.
On Saturday, Israeli forces are reported to have launched several more attacks on the enclave, resulting in the deaths of another 10 people.
Israel’s army claimed the bombings were in retaliation for an attack by a gunman on its soldiers.
The strikes have provoked a furious backlash from Hamas, which is now threatening to pull out of the deal.
Sources told the Al Arabiya news website, that Hamas officials have informed US envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushenr that the agreement is over and that “it is ready to fight.”
They added that Hamas “informed Witkoff that the ceasefire must be mutual” and stressed that “Gaza will not be Lebanon.”
The United Nations has condemned Israel for its ongoing attacks in Gaza, as tensions threaten to boil over.
The spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he was deeply concerned.
“It’s not for us, given our lack of participation as a guarantor, to say the ceasefire is holding or not holding,” said the spokesperson Stephane Dujarric.
“Our concern is the fragility of the ceasefire. People are getting killed – Palestinians are getting killed – and that needs to stop.”
