Hamas says the six Israeli hostages found dead in the southern Gaza Strip would still be alive if Israel had agreed to a ceasefire deal.
In an interview with Arab broadcaster Al Jazeera, the deputy head of the Islamist movement's Political Bureau Khalil al-Hayya argued that Hamas for its part had shown flexibility in negotiations - including reducing the number of Palestinian prisoners it was seeking to release. and accepted the proposal presented by US President Joe Biden and supported by the UN Security Council.
But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded to this availability with evasion and new conditions, including insisting on keeping soldiers in the Netzarim and Philadelphia corridors.
Al-Hayya therefore stressed that there will be no agreement without the withdrawal of Israeli forces from these areas.