At a press conference, the representative of the Palestinian Resistance described the assaults on the Rafah border crossing with Egypt as a crime and a dangerous escalation against a civilian facility protected by international law. Storming and occupying the site aims to exacerbate the humanitarian situation in Gaza, closing and preventing the flow of emergency aid through it, he said.

Hamdan considered the assault on the Rafah crossing a desperate attempt at creating an illusion of victory to “save the face” of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and called on the League of Arab States and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to hold an urgent meeting at the level of foreign ministers and take an active stance to stop this violation and force Israel to stop its aggression.

The leader called on the United Nations to pressure the Israeli Government to stop this escalation, and reiterated that the Palestinian Resistance will not respond to any ceasefire initiative under military pressure.

Hamdan emphasized that the Israel’s operation in Rafah will not be an excursion for its army, which will be defeated as in all the areas it entered in the Gaza Strip.

Regarding the negotiations, Hamdan noted that the movement has shown a positive and responsible spirit at all stages, as it has tried to overcome all obstacles to reach a satisfactory formula while preserving the rights of the Palestinian people.

The official recalled the demands from the Resistance include a total end of aggression, Israel’s withdrawal from all areas of Gaza, the unconditional return of the displaced people to their homes and areas, the reconstruction of the Strip and relief for the people.

According to Hamdan, the Israeli prime minister and the extremists in his government insist on obstructing all efforts of the mediators, and the US administration must demonstrate its seriousness and credibility in forcing Netanyahu to implement the agreement.

jg/llp/oda/yma