Hamas has accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of obstructing truce negotiations and the release of hostages, as mediators intensify efforts to broker a deal.
Escalating Israeli attacks across the Gaza Strip are hindering peace talks, according to Hamas. In a statement on Monday, Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh warned that the “catastrophic consequences of what is happening in Gaza” could “reset the negotiation process to square one.”
Haniyeh held Netanyahu and the Israeli military “fully responsible for the collapse of this path.” He reported making urgent contact with mediators from Qatar and Egypt regarding the expanding Israeli military actions.
The Israeli military has issued further evacuation orders in Gaza City, displacing thousands of Palestinians who have already been forced to move multiple times.
On Sunday, Israel’s military called for the immediate evacuation of the Tuffah, Daraj, and Old City neighborhoods of Gaza City. Hamas accused Netanyahu of escalating aggression and crimes against Palestinians, aiming to forcibly displace them and thwart negotiation efforts.
Al Jazeera’s Hind Khoudary, reporting from Deir el-Balah in central Gaza, stated that Palestinians had been ordered to evacuate to the center of the Gaza Strip, an area already overwhelmed with displaced people from across the enclave.
Israeli tanks have advanced into the heart of Gaza City, following a night of heavy bombardment. Residents reported the air strikes and artillery barrages as some of the heaviest in nine months. The Israeli military, citing intelligence on Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad fighters in the Gaza City area, has called on residents to move south to Deir el-Balah.
In Shujayea, a Gaza City neighborhood experiencing ongoing fighting, Israeli troops have raided and destroyed schools and a clinic. Khoudary reported expanded ground operations around Shujayea, with some residents evacuating under intense artillery shelling and air strikes while others remain trapped.
Al Jazeera Arabic’s correspondent noted further evacuation orders for the Rimal neighborhood in central Gaza City on Monday.
The new Israeli offensive coincides with intensified mediation efforts by Egypt, Qatar, and the United States for a ceasefire agreement. Hamas has dropped its demand for Israel to commit to a permanent ceasefire before signing a contract.
