DOHA
Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal said Wednesday that his group would not accept any ceasefire initiative with Israel in the Gaza Strip that does not end the years-long blockade on the Palestinian enclave.
"We would not take any initiative that does not meet the demands of the resistance, but we would accept any humanitarian truce that would allow the entry of relief assistance into Gaza," Meshaal told a press conference in Doha.
Meshaal also asserted that no one can disarm the Palestinian resistance groups. "There are two conditions for disarmament: removing the Israeli occupation and settlements and disarming Israel."
He said that there is a consensus among the Palestinian groups about the demands for the ceasefire. "What is needed now is to meet our demands, then setting the date to restore calm."
Meshaal also called on U.S. Secretary State John Kerry and U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon to visit Gaza. "Kerry has the right to visit Ramallah because it is the seat of the Palestinian presidency, but he also needs to visit Gaza because the decision-makers are there," he said.
"Ban also should visit Gaza to show sympathy with its residents," he added.
He also pointed out that Hamas has submitted its demands for ceasefire to Turkey, Qatar, Egypt and the Palestinian Authority. "Hamas did not call for a ceasefire, but the United States and Israel asked Turkey and Qatar to mediate a truce," he added.
The Hamas leader said that the Palestinian people is "defending" themselves and did not start the war against Israel. "We are the victims, not Israel," he added.
He also dismissed describing Jewish settlers targeted by the rocket fire emanating from Gaza as "civilians." "They live on a land that is not theirs, and they sabotage and kill Palestinians."
Cairo presented a ceasefire proposal last week amid a fierce Israeli military offensive against the Gaza Strip, which continued unabated on Wednesday.
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