GAZA CITY, Palestinian Territories – Hamas on Saturday accused the United States of distorting the truth by saying the Palestinian militant group had chosen war with Israel by refusing to release hostages.
“The claim that ‘Hamas chose war instead of releasing the hostages’ is a distortion of the facts,” Hamas said in a statement in response to the accusation from US National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes on Tuesday.
He had said: “Hamas could have released hostages to extend the ceasefire but instead chose refusal and war.”
The Palestinian group added that Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu “rejected these initiatives and deliberately sabotaged them to serve his political interests,” referring to criticism he has faced in Israel, including from families of hostages held in Gaza.
Israel resumed air strikes on Gaza on Tuesday before sending troops back into areas evacuated during the pause in fighting.
It came after weeks of disagreement with Hamas over extending the ceasefire that took effect on January 19.
Israel says its military campaign is necessary to pressure Hamas into releasing more hostages and secure the freedom of about 60 captives, dead or alive.
Many hostage families have instead called for a renewed ceasefire, noting most captives who returned alive did so during truce periods.
In its statement, Hamas accused the United States of equating “the aggressor with the victim”.
“The US statements reveal once again its full complicity in the aggression against our people, as well as its collusion with the occupation in committing genocide, starvation and siege against more than two million Palestinians in Gaza,” it said.
Meanwhile, The foreign ministers of Germany, France and Britain called late Friday for an “immediate return” to a Gaza ceasefire, as Israel’s military pressed its renewed offensive in the Palestinian territory.
“The resumption of Israeli strikes in Gaza marks a dramatic step backward for the people of Gaza. We are appalled by the civilian casualties and urgently call for an immediate return to a ceasefire,” the ministers said in a joint statement.
The joint appeal came after Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz threatened Friday to annex parts of the Gaza Strip if Hamas did not release the remaining Israeli hostages being held there.
The ministers — Germany’s Annalena Baerbock, France’s Jean-Noel Barrot and Britain’s David Lammy — called on “all parties to re-engage with negotiations to ensure the ceasefire is implemented in full and becomes permanent”.
