Gaza, 14 July— Hamas, the armed wing of the Palestinian liberation movement, has announced its withdrawal from ceasefire negotiations in response to ongoing Israeli attacks on civilians in the blockaded Gaza Strip. The decision was communicated to international mediators on Sunday, following what Hamas described as a "genocide" in the Rafah area.

According to sources close to Hamas, the organization made this decision due to Israel's continued "massacre" of Palestinians and their obstructive behavior during negotiations. A senior Hamas leader stated that Ismail Haniya, the group's main leader, told mediators, "The occupiers are not serious about negotiations. They are adopting a policy of obstruction and obfuscation and continue to massacre our unarmed civilians."

The decision comes after Israeli forces carried out deadly airstrikes in the al-Mawasi area, designated as a 'safe zone' in Gaza. The attacks on Saturday resulted in the deaths of over 90 Palestinians, which Hamas labeled as genocide. They accused Israel of targeting civilians indiscriminately.

An Israeli official countered by stating that the airstrikes targeted an "open area" in Al-Mawasi, aiming at Mohammed Deif, the head of Hamas' military wing. The official claimed that only Hamas members were present in the area, not civilians. Additionally, the attack targeted Rafa Salama, a commander of Hamas in Khan Younis, based on intelligence information.

Hamas has dismissed the Israeli claims as false, reiterating that Israel often falsely claims to target Palestinian leaders. They confirmed that Mohammed Deif was unharmed and continued to oversee operations. In light of these developments, Hamas decided to suspend its participation in the ceasefire talks.

The situation remains tense as both sides continue to engage in hostilities, with international mediators struggling to broker a sustainable peace agreement.