Hamas has decided not to participate in the upcoming round of peace negotiations with Israel, as confirmed by a representative of the movement in Lebanon. Ahmed Abd al-Hadi stated that despite ongoing efforts by the US, Qatar, and Egypt since last week, the situation remains unresolved following the assassination of its leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran and the looming threat of further escalation.

Abd al-Hadi emphasized that the current leadership of Hamas, officially led by Yahya Sinwar, does not trust that Benjamin Netanyahu's government is negotiating sincerely or is genuinely interested in reaching an agreement.

Just a day before Hamas made its decision, both Iranian representatives and President Joe Biden indicated that the only way to prevent an anticipated Iranian attack would be to establish a ceasefire in Gaza.