Hamas accuses Israel of obstructing ceasefire negotiations with Rafah operation

A Hamas official accuses Israel of carrying out incursions in Gaza’s southernmost city of Rafah in order to block talks seeking a truce in the seven-month war between Israel and the Hamas terror group in the Palestinian enclave.

Israel’s military operations in Rafah and its border crossing “aim to obstruct the efforts of the mediators,” Izzat al-Rishq says in a statement, adding that Hamas had sent a delegation to the talks in Cairo and that it was still committed to accepting a ceasefire proposal — the terms of which differ in many key aspects from a deal previously approved by Israel.

Earlier this week, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Hamas of attempting to torpedo Israel’s operation in Rafah by announcing its acceptance of the heavily altered proposal for a truce and hostage release deal.