Hamas will reject Israel ceasefire until siege is lifted

In an audio statement made hours after a failed 24-hour ceasefire attempt, Qassam Brigades commander Mohammed Deif said that the ceasefire “will not take place unless the siege is lifted and the border crossings are all open.”

Israel and Egypt have restricted the entry of goods into Gaza since 2007.

Deif’s statement emerged at the same time as a video appearing to show Hamas militants entering Israel through a tunnel before attacking a watch tower.

“What the air force and your artillery shelling has failed to accomplish will not be accomplished by ground forces,” Deif said. “You are sending your soldiers to a definite slaughterhouse, God willing.”

“The Zionist entity will not know security unless the Palestinian people live in peace.”

Israel attacks on the Gaza strip continued on Tuesday with Gaza officials reporting the deaths of at least 100 Palestinians. This brings the reported Palestinian death toll since 8 July to over 1200, with a further 6700 injured. Most of the casualties have been civilians. 53 Israeli soldiers, two Israeli civilians and a Thai worker in Israel have also been killed in this recent conflict.

Separately, the UN agency that looks after Palestinian refugees reported on Tuesday that it had found a stockpile of rockets at a school in Gaza.

Chris Gunness, spokesman for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), condemned those responsible for placing the rockets there but did not blame any particular organisation.

“We condemn the group or groups who endangered civilians by placing these militants in our school. This is yet another flagrant violation of the neutrality of our premises. We call on all the warring parties to respect the inviolability of UN property,” Gunness said.