Hamas: “Israeli” Strike on Gaza Shows Netanyahu Is Deliberately Sabotaging Ceasefire Talks

By Staff, Agencies

Hamas accused “Israeli” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday of deliberately undermining ceasefire negotiations following a deadly “Israeli” strike on a cafe at the fishermen’s port west of Gaza City.

The resistance group reaffirmed its commitment to the Gaza ceasefire agreement and called on Washington and international mediators to pressure the “Israeli” entity to honor its commitments and stop violations.

The statement followed a drone strike on the crowded cafe that martyred six Palestinians, including a child, and wounded 14 others, according to Gaza Health Ministry officials, a medical source and witnesses.

Hamas described the attack as a “new massacre” and “a deliberate escalation,” accusing Netanyahu of attempting to derail efforts to consolidate the ceasefire and advance implementation of the agreement.

“The timing of the crime, following recent talks in Cairo and ongoing mediation efforts, demonstrated beyond any doubt Netanyahu's intention to sabotage negotiations,” Hamas said.

The Palestinian movement further accused Netanyahu of seeking to obstruct regional and international efforts surrounding US President Donald Trump’s Gaza plan and the Sharm El-Sheikh agreement.

Hamas said it and other Palestinian factions remain “serious and responsible” in their efforts to ensure the agreement succeeds, pointing to recent meetings with US envoy Jared Kushner and mediators.

It called on the US administration, mediators and guarantors “to pressure the ‘Israeli’ government to honor the agreement, halt its crimes and prevent Netanyahu from obstructing the Sharm El-Sheikh deal.”

Netanyahu has previously rejected a 15-point Gaza proposal and insisted that Hamas be disarmed before any “Israeli” withdrawal. A roadmap issued by the US-led Board of Peace on July 31 likewise called for Hamas’s disarmament alongside a gradual withdrawal of “Israeli” forces from Gaza.

Hamas, however, maintains that any disarmament must be accompanied by a gradual and orderly “Israeli” withdrawal from the territory.

The dispute comes as mediators continue efforts to implement the ceasefire agreement that took effect on October 10, 2025. According to Gaza Health Ministry figures, violations attributed to “Israel” have since martyred 1,266 Palestinians and wounded another 4,200.

Since October 8, 2023, “Israel” has waged a devastating war on Gaza that has martyred more than 73,000 Palestinians and injured over 174,000, according to the figures provided, with women and children making up the majority of the casualties. The assault has also left widespread destruction across the besieged territory.