The Palestinian resistance movement Hamas has declared that any decision regarding Gaza must be preceded by a complete halt to Israeli aggression. In a statement issued on Thursday in response to the inaugural meeting of U.S. President Donald Trump’s peace council in Washington, Hamas said that ending Israeli occupation is the essential precondition for achieving stability in Gaza.

The statement emphasized lifting the Israeli blockade on Gaza and ensuring Palestinians’ rights to freedom and self-determination. It also condemned the convening of the peace council meeting while Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip continued. Hamas called on mediators to ensure the implementation of ceasefire agreements and to prevent Israel from obstructing them.

Hamas warned that stability in Gaza cannot be achieved without ending the occupation and realizing the full rights of the Palestinian people.