It is grotesque that a Palestinian side is betting on an extremist Israeli party, Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qasem said Monday.

Qasem’s remarks came following a recommendation by the Joint List for Blue and White leader Benny Gantz to form the next Israeli government.

“The program of this Israeli party is based on its disregard of the Palestinian people’s rights and even its incitement to aggression against Gaza and annexation of the West Bank,” Qasem explained.

Qasem noted that the prominent members of the Blue and White party had committed crimes against the Palestinian people.

“The head of the [Blue and White] party was the chief of staff of the Israeli occupation’s army during the 2014 Israeli offensive against Gaza; Moshe Yaalon who was the Israeli chief of staff in 2003 and Minister of War during the 2014 Gaza assault committed crimes against Palestinians in the West Bank,” Qasem continued.

The Hamas spokesperson stressed that the Palestinian people will continue their struggle against the Israeli occupation until their rights are resorted.

The Joint List MKs, except for Balad members, recommended Sunday the former Israeli chief of staff to form the coming Israeli government during its meeting with the Israeli president.  

In a campaign video, Gantz boasted of killing 1,364 Palestinian “terrorists” during the 2014 Israeli offensive on Gaza and sending the besieged enclave to the “stone age.”