Hamas says it opposes IDF troops staying in buffer zones, confining Gazans to ‘isolated enclaves’

Hamas says it opposes any ceasefire deal that includes a large Israeli military presence in Gaza, describing disagreements over the withdrawal and free flow of aid into Gaza as sticking points, as well as its demands for “real guarantees” for a lasting truce.

Senior Hamas official Bassem Naim tells AFP: “We cannot accept the perpetuation of the occupation of our land and the surrender of our people to isolated enclaves under the control of the occupation army. This is what the negotiating delegation is presenting to the occupation so far in the current round of negotiations in Doha.”

Hamas is particularly opposed to Israeli control over the southern city of Rafah, on the border with Egypt, and the so-called Morag Corridor between Rafah and Khan Younis, he adds.

Israel announced earlier this year that the army was seizing large areas in Gaza and incorporating them into buffer zones cleared of their inhabitants, as a way of pressuring Hamas to release the hostages it is holding.

Naim also says the Palestinian terror group wants an end to the current delivery of aid by the US- and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a system that has allegedly seen scores killed while seeking handouts.