Head of Hamas Political Bureau Ismail Haniyeh said that it was the Israeli occupation who begged for ceasefire during its latest aggression on Gaza ten days ago.

During a speech at a meeting for the Palestinian Legislative Council in Gaza, Haniyeh added that the Israeli occupation refused at first to respond to the mediators’ ceasefire efforts, but after the Palestinian resistance intensified its response, the Israeli occupation called for a truce.

The Hamas top official stressed that normalisation of ties with the Israeli occupation must be halted and replaced by boycott efforts.

Meanwhile, Haniyeh said that the Palestinian resistance factions are “working in the field to free the Palestinian detainees held in the Israeli jails.”

Addressing the Palestinian detainees, he said, “Your freedom is a burden we shoulder; we are working at all levels to free and help you return to your families.”