Senior Hamas official Hussam Badran stated in an interview with Al Jazeera that threats to eliminate Hamas leadership, both inside the Gaza Strip and abroad, are not new and do not deter the movement. He staed that the threats do not affect Hamas’s stance in any way, whether regarding political decisions, operations on the ground, or negotiations. He also noted that Israel has previously eliminated many Hamas leaders, but this has not changed the group's positions.
Regarding the negotiations, Badran claimed that Israel was the one that withdrew from the latest round of talks after 18 days of discussions. He emphasized that Hamas reached understandings with the mediators and that communication with them continues. However, he noted that there are currently no new proposals from either side, and the ball is in the court of Israel and the Americans, who are delaying the reaching of an agreement.