Hamas has ruled out any ceasefire deal that doesn’t include a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
Meanwhile, Israeli officials say troops will remain in Gaza, southern Lebanon, and parts of Syria indefinitely, deepening the regional crisis and raising tensions amid a worsening humanitarian catastrophe.
A senior Hamas official has declared that the group will not agree to any ceasefire unless Israel completely withdraws its forces from the Gaza Strip.
This demand comes as Israel’s Defence Minister Israel Katz confirmed that Israeli troops will remain in Gaza, as well as in parts of Lebanon and Syria, indefinitely, turning these areas into permanent “security zones.”
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“The army will remain in the security zones as a buffer between the enemy and Israeli communities,” Katz said in a statement, adding that there will be no return to the policy of evacuating areas after operations.
Since resuming its offensive on March 18—following a nearly two-month truce—Israel claims to have struck 1,200 “terror targets” in Gaza and converted approximately 30% of the enclave into a buffer zone.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated the government’s goal of eliminating Hamas and recovering the 59 captives still held in Gaza, 24 of whom are believed to be alive.
However, Hamas insists no hostages will be released unless Israel agrees to a complete military pullout and a lasting ceasefire.
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Meanwhile, the humanitarian situation in Gaza has deteriorated sharply. Defence Minister Katz explicitly stated that no humanitarian aid will be permitted into Gaza, calling it a tool to pressure Hamas. “No preparations are being made to allow any aid of this kind,” he said. Culture Minister Miki Zohar echoed this stance, stating, “Only hellfire should be poured on the makers of terrorism.”
The UN has condemned the blockade and rejected a new Israeli mechanism for controlling aid, insisting that existing aid protocols are sufficient and should be respected.
On Wednesday, Israeli airstrikes killed at least 25 people across Gaza. Among the dead was Palestinian journalist Fatima Hassouneh and ten members of her family.
The crisis is also deepening in neighboring countries. In Lebanon, President Joseph Aoun criticized Israel for maintaining a military presence in at least five locations in the south, violating a ceasefire agreement signed in November.
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Israeli drone strikes in southern Lebanon killed two civilians on Wednesday, bringing the civilian death toll in Lebanon to over 70 since the ceasefire took effect.
In Syria, Israel has established several military posts, including on Mount Hermon, following the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s regime. Israel refuses to recognize the new Syrian government led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), labeling it a terrorist group and maintaining its military presence in key areas.
With Israel asserting a long-term military posture and Hamas refusing to compromise on its conditions, the prospects for peace in Gaza and the broader region remain grim.
