Hamas has reportedly announced a freeze on ceasefire negotiations with Israel after the faction’s deputy chief, Saleh al-Arouri, was killed on Tuesday evening in an Israeli attack in Lebanon.
“We have informed the brothers in Qatar and Egypt of the freezing of negotiations,” a Palestinian source told Xinhua news agency on condition of anonymity. Qatar and Egypt have been mediating a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
The source added that Hamas, at war with Israel, rejected any talks about reaching a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip amid escalated Israeli aggression and “assassination schemes” against Palestinian leaders.