Khalil al-Hayya
Khalil al-HayyaReuters

Deputy Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya claimed on Wednesday that after the Gazan terrorists launched rockets towards Israel at a range of more than 40 kilometers, Israel conveyed messages through mediators about its willingness to return to calm.

Speaking in an interview with a newspaper, al-Hayya said that things went out of control because of Israel's procrastination in implementing the understandings and because of its firing at demonstrators taking part in the “March of the Return” border riots.

He added that Hamas refuses to link the truce understandings with the “March of the Return” processions, stressing that the continued blockade of the Gaza Strip could blow up the situation at any moment.

Al-Hayya praised Qatar's role in alleviating the humanitarian situation in Gaza through the $480 million in aid it pledged to provide for the Palestinian Arabs earlier this week.

During the recent round of escalation, Gaza terrorists fired some 700 rockets at southern Israel between Saturday morning and early Monday morning. Four Israelis were killed in the last round of confrontation.

On Monday morning at 4:30 a.m., a ceasefire brokered by Egypt and Qatar reportedly went into effect.