**DaysofPal-** The Hamas Movement has urged Arab and Muslim nations to take immediate action to end Israel’s renewed military offensive on Gaza, emphasizing the “direct moral and political responsibility” of these countries to halt the ongoing violence.
In a statement released on Thursday, Hamas condemned Israel’s continued airstrikes, describing them as “massacres” and accusing Israel of committing genocide in front of the global community.
“We call on the Arab and Islamic countries to take urgent action in international forums, particularly the United Nations Security Council, to implement immediate measures to stop the aggression,” Hamas said.
The statement further stressed that the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) have a clear duty to act and prevent further escalation of the violence.
Israel resumed its bombing campaign on Gaza on Tuesday, escalating the conflict after the expiration of the first phase of a ceasefire agreement earlier this month. The agreement had facilitated the exchange of Israeli captives held by Hamas for Palestinian prisoners, but the second phase of the ceasefire, which was supposed to include further negotiations and the gradual cessation of hostilities, has stalled.
Israel has insisted on preconditions, including restricting humanitarian aid, and has refused to proceed with the second phase of the agreement, which involves discussing a potential military withdrawal from Gaza.
Hamas had called for a continuation of the original ceasefire terms, which included both a phased prisoner exchange and negotiations for a permanent truce. However, Israel’s refusal to follow through on the agreement has led to the resumption of airstrikes, further straining efforts for peace.
According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, at least 591 Palestinians have been killed and over 1,000 injured since the resumption of Israel’s attacks. The casualties are disproportionately women and children, with 70 percent of the victims falling into these groups. Despite the ongoing violence, Hamas has expressed its willingness to continue talks, although it insists that no new agreements are necessary.
Israel announced the resumption of its military operations in Gaza under the pretext of pressuring Hamas to make concessions regarding the prisoners after Benjamin Netanyahu’s government refused to move to the second phase of the ceasefire agreement.
From late October 2023, until the agreement went into effect, Israel carried out an unprecedented aggression that included a ground invasion of the besieged and devastated Gaza Strip.
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