Latest news with #BassemNaim
Free Malaysia Today
a day ago
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
Hamas says Israel wants to keep military control of Gaza
The presence of Israeli troops in the Palestinian territory is a key issue in ceasefire talks. (AP pic) GAZA CITY : Hamas accused Israel on Wednesday of wanting to retain military control of the Gaza Strip and denied Israeli media claims of progress in ceasefire talks. The indirect negotiations in the Qatari capital Doha are now in their second week, with the future presence of Israeli troops in the Palestinian territory a key issue. The militant group wants a full withdrawal and last week rejected an Israeli proposal which it said would have kept troops in more than 40% of Gaza. Israeli public broadcaster Kan on Wednesday quoted a foreign official it did not identify as saying that work was ongoing to revise Israeli pullback maps. But Bassem Naim, a member of Hamas's political bureau, told AFP: '(Israel) has not yet delivered any new or revised maps regarding military withdrawals from the Gaza Strip. 'The entire Gaza Strip is currently under the military control of (Israel). What is happening on the ground confirms (Israel's) intentions and plans to maintain and prolong military control within the Gaza Strip for the long term. 'It also confirms the occupation's unwillingness to withdraw from the Strip or to stop the war, contrary to what the occupation claims in the ongoing negotiations in Doha and contrary to what it tells the mediators.' Israel, which wants Hamas neutralised as a fighting force, has accused the group of inflexibility, but on Tuesday mediator Qatar said there was 'no stalemate' and no set timeframe for the talks.
Mada
3 days ago
- Politics
- Mada
Israel forces announce new ‘Magen Oz' corridor to cut off east Khan Younis amid truce talks
The Israeli Occupation military announced Wednesday that it has established a new 'corridor' in southern Gaza, an area cleared of buildings and farmland the military referred to as a 'security' zone. The new corridor, named Magen Oz, cuts eastern Khan Younis off from the west. A drone video of the Magen Oz corridor. Released by the IDF on July 16, 2025 The corridor is the latest of several zones that the Israeli military has carved through Gaza using wide-scale demolitions to divide the strip into separate regions and expand Israeli control over movement. Its establishment was preceded by dozens of military displacement orders for neighborhoods across Khan Younis, and comes as a delegation from Israel is due in Cairo to discuss a US-backed ceasefire — an agreement in which Israel's withdrawal from the besieged enclave is a major point of contention. The Israeli military said the corridor, which extends for 15 kilometers and adjoins the existing ' Morag ' zone that separated Khan Younis from Rafah, will be used mainly to pressure Hamas and try to defeat the Khan Younis brigade of the Qassam Brigades. An illustration of the Magen Oz and Morag corridors. Released by the IDF on July 16, 2025 The Israeli military began to clear and fortify zones within the strip in February 2024 in regions resembling the 'five fingers' plan of former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon for the strip's occupation. It first established the Netsarim corridor to cut off areas of northern Gaza from the rest of the strip. Less than two months later, Israeli forces invaded the Rafah border crossing and took control of the Philadelphi corridor between Gaza and Egypt, effectively controlling the entire southern border of Palestinian Rafah. In March, weeks after Israel broke the ceasefire, the Occupation military gained full control over Rafah by establishing the Morag corridor, cutting Rafah completely from neighboring Khan Younis. The 'Mefalsim corridor,' also established since the ceasefire, cuts through northern Gaza to separate Gaza City from the rest of the north, while an incomplete corridor named 'Kissufim,' opened in November 2024, seeks to separate Deir al-Balah from Khan Younis. The corridors have been used to extend Israeli military ground control inside the strip and launch deadly advances targeting people in their homes or in streets across Gaza. Forces stationed to occupy the corridors have targeted civilians attempting to move between the separated areas, with documented instances of forces abducting and killing passing pedestrians, including young children. The continued presence of the occupied zones has been a major block to ceasefire negotiations. Hamas leader Bassem Naim said on Wednesday that the new axis does not constitute a major military shift given Israel's complete control over Gaza. It is, however, a clear indication of the Occupation's intention to remain inside the strip, Naim said. He stressed that, contrary to public statements, Israel has not submitted to negotiators any new maps of its military presence in Gaza, which, along with the new corridor, indicate that the Occupation government's participation in the negotiations falls solely within the framework of 'improving its image within Israel and easing international pressure.' Amid the renewed talks for a 60-day truce, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared his commitment to a post-truce plan to displace Palestinians in Gaza to a confined space in southern Gaza, between Morag and Philadelphi, and resume the war in full force until Hamas is disarmed. The establishment of the new corridor comes against the backdrop of the renewed ceasefire and prisoner release talks ushered by US President Donald Trump.
Days of Palestine
3 days ago
- Politics
- Days of Palestine
Hamas: Israel's Creation of 'Magen Oz' Route Reveals Malicious Intentions to Remain in Gaza
DaysofPal—The Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas has accused the Israeli occupation of attempting to impose new realities on the ground that confirm its intentions to remain in Gaza and not end the war, following the Israeli army's announcement of a new military corridor named 'Magen Oz', which separates eastern Khan Younis from its western part. Hamas senior official Dr. Bassem Naim said in a Facebook post that the establishment of this new route contradicts Israel's claims at the negotiating table, stressing that the Israeli occupation is only engaging in negotiations superficially to manage domestic opinion and ease international pressure. Naim added, 'Israel hasn't submitted any new maps for over a week, despite what it claims in the media. Today's announcement of the new route that splits Khan Younis in half is a clear response in practice.' The announcement comes amid ongoing international efforts to reach a temporary ceasefire in Gaza, which are being hindered by Israeli-imposed obstacles, notably the 'Morag' corridor, which separates Rafah from Khan Younis and remains one of the main points of contention in the Doha talks. With the declaration of 'Magen Oz', the number of Israeli military corridors dissecting Gaza has now risen to four: Netzarim, Philadelphi, Morag, and Magen Oz, with the newest route extending 15 kilometers. Observers have described the move as an indication of Israel's intention to enforce a permanent geographic division of the Gaza Strip. Shortlink for this post:
The Sun
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Sun
Hamas accuses Israel of long-term Gaza military control
GAZA CITY: Hamas has accused Israel of seeking long-term military control over the Gaza Strip, dismissing reports of progress in ceasefire negotiations. The ongoing indirect talks in Doha, now in their second week, remain deadlocked over Israel's troop presence in the Palestinian territory. Hamas insists on a full Israeli withdrawal and last week rejected a proposal that would have allowed troops to remain in over 40 percent of Gaza. Israeli public broadcaster Kan cited an unnamed foreign official stating that revised pullback maps were being discussed. However, Hamas political bureau member Bassem Naim refuted this, telling AFP, '(Israel) has not yet delivered any new or revised maps regarding military withdrawals from the Gaza Strip.' Naim further asserted, 'The entire Gaza Strip is currently under the military control of (Israel). What is happening on the ground confirms (Israel's) intentions and plans to maintain and prolong military control within the Gaza Strip for the long term.' He accused Israel of misleading mediators by publicly advocating for peace while allegedly planning continued occupation. Israel, which seeks to dismantle Hamas as a military force, has blamed the group for inflexibility. Despite the tensions, Qatari mediators stated there is 'no stalemate' in talks, though no deadline has been set for a resolution. – AFP
Nahar Net
3 days ago
- Politics
- Nahar Net
Hamas official denies progress in Gaza ceasefire talks
by Naharnet Newsdesk 16 July 2025, 14:09 A senior Hamas official on Wednesday rejected claims of progress in Gaza ceasefire talks, adding the Palestinian militant group had not received maps planning for Israeli withdrawal from the Palestinian territory. "(Israel) has not yet delivered any new or revised maps regarding military withdrawals from the Gaza Strip," Bassem Naim, a member of Hamas political bureau, told AFP, accusing Israel of wanting to "prolong military control" in Gaza for the long term.
