Hamas has insisted it will not disarm unless an independent Palestinian state is established, pushing back against a key Israeli condition for ending the war in Gaza. Mediated negotiations between Hamas and Israel, which looked to secure a 60-day ceasefire, as well as the release of hostages, ended in deadlock last week.

In its statement, Hamas said it could not yield its right to ‘armed resistance’ unless a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital is established

Hamas has said it will refuse to disarm unless an independent Palestinian state is established with Jerusalem as its capital. The Palestinian terror group said in a statement on Saturday that its “armed