The Hamas terrorist organization vowed to "rise again" and to continue fighting until Israel is destroyed in a statement issued today (Monday), the second day of the ceasefire agreement with Israel, AFP reported.
"Gaza, with its great people and its resilience, will rise again to rebuild what the occupation has destroyed and continue on the path of steadfastness until the occupation is defeated," the terrorist organization stated.
"Over the course of 471 days, the systematic crimes of the occupation have failed to dissuade our people and their valiant resistance from clinging to the land and confronting the aggression," it added.
The first phase of the ceasefire agreement, which is supposed to last six weeks began on Sunday morning. On Sunday afternoon, Hamas released the first three hostages out of 33 who will be released over the course of the first phase.
US President-elect Donald Trump spoke on Sunday at a rally in Washington, DC, ahead of his inauguration on Monday, and commented on the release of Romi Gonen, Doron Steinbrecher and Emily Damari from Hamas captivity, as part of the ceasefire and hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas.
"This week, we achieved an epic ceasefire agreement as a first step toward lasting peace in the Middle East — and this agreement could only have happened as a result of our historic victory in November," he stated.