Senior Hamas official says solution to Gaza key to ending widening conflict

ISTANBUL, Turkey — Any solution to the rapidly expanding regional conflict that has spread to Lebanon and beyond hinges on a resolution of the original crisis in Gaza, a senior Hamas official says.

“It is so complicated and intermingled, the two fronts, that it is not easy to reach a permanent ceasefire or permanent solution to this conflict without solving the original one, which is in Gaza,” Basem Naim tells Reuters in Istanbul.

“Even if they reach a ceasefire for Lebanon, there will be no calm in the region (because) they are not talking about solving all these questions related to Lebanon or Palestine,” he says.

Qatari and Egyptian-brokered efforts to agree a halt to the fighting and a return of the Israeli hostages have gone nowhere, with both Israel and Hamas blaming each other for the deadlock.

Naim says the mediators were “disappointed” by the expansion of the conflict beyond Gaza’s borders but again blamed Israel for the failure of the talks.

“We cannot simply start negotiating new conditions added by (Prime Minister) Benjamin Netanyahu,” he says.

Naim says the latest Israeli offensive in northern Gaza amounted to a “very tight, suffocating siege” unlike others.

“It is much more brutal and aggressive (than previous operations). It is directly targeting the civilian residential houses and homes,” he says.

Naim says US calls for more aid were not consistent with its overall support for Israel.

“How can one understand that at the same time that the Americans are calling for more aid and humanitarian relief, they are sending billions and billions of dollars and … explosive materials and weapons, and (using) their veto each time in the UN Security Council to block the international will,” he adds.

Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.