Hamas vows to continue fight, rejects Israeli control over Gaza

Speaking during an interview in Istanbul, Hamdan noted that Hamas has sufficient resources to continue the fight.

"The resistance has a high ability to continue," Hamdan stated. He acknowledged the heavy toll of the conflict, which has resulted in numerous casualties and sacrifices but noted that these losses have led to "an accumulation of experiences" and the recruitment of new fighters.

His remarks follow Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant's recent declaration that Hamas "no longer exists" in its previous form following extensive Israeli military operations. Israel launched a major military campaign against Hamas after the group's surprise attack on southern Israel in early October.

Hamdan downplayed the losses suffered by Hamas, asserting that the number of casualties is "much less than what is expected in a battle of this size, level, and breadth."

The war has resulted in significant loss of life, with at least 41,206 people killed in Gaza, according to the territory’s health ministry. The figures do not differentiate between civilians and fighters. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is facing increasing domestic pressure to secure a deal that would see the release of hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, but negotiations aimed at a ceasefire have stalled.

Hamdan criticized the U.S. government for not exerting enough pressure on Israel to reach a resolution, stating, "The American administration does not exert sufficient or appropriate pressure on the Israeli side."

The conflict has drawn in other regional actors, including Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthi rebels in Yemen. The Houthis recently claimed responsibility for a missile attack on central Israel, which triggered an emergency response but caused no casualties. Hamdan pointed to this incident as evidence of Israel's vulnerability, saying, "It is a message to the entire region that Israel is not an immune entity."

Hamdan also reiterated that Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, like other key figures in the group, would not leave Gaza despite the ongoing siege.

"Sinwar and other leaders are ready to be martyred thousands of times in Palestine rather than leaving it," he said, underscoring Hamas’s continued demand for a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, including the strategic Philadelphi corridor along the border with Egypt, which has become a central issue in ceasefire negotiations.(ILKHA)