Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya has condemned a renewed and deliberate Israeli escalation in Gaza, warning that continued attacks on Palestinians threaten to derail the fragile ceasefire and undermine ongoing diplomatic efforts to end the violence.

Al-Hayya said Israel was continuing its attacks despite mediation efforts, diplomatic contacts and international guarantees intended to preserve the ceasefire and advance its implementation.

He called on mediators and guarantor states to urgently intervene and pressure Israel to halt its attacks, warning that continued violations could collapse the ceasefire and plunge Gaza into another cycle of bloodshed.

Hamas said an Israeli strike on a police headquarters in central Gaza City on Wednesday killed nine Palestinians and wounded 15 others, with most of those killed reportedly members of the civil police force.

The movement condemned the attack as a “war crime”, saying it demonstrated what it described as the Israeli government’s refusal to honor its commitments under the ceasefire agreement.

Hamas accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government of deliberately obstructing the remaining stages of the agreement and seeking to perpetuate violence in the besieged Gaza Strip.

Gaza’s Ministry of Interior and National Security described the attack as a “new brutal massacre” targeting Palestinian police officers and personnel.

The ministry rejected Israeli claims reportedly offered to justify the strike, accusing Israel of attempting to dismantle Gaza’s civil police structure and create chaos and insecurity within Palestinian society.

Al-Hayya said the latest attacks demonstrated that Israel was disregarding diplomatic initiatives and mediation efforts aimed at consolidating the ceasefire.

He said the continued Israeli escalation placed a “major and critical responsibility” on mediators and guarantor states, urging them to take immediate action to protect the ceasefire.

Hamas called on the parties involved in mediation to compel Israel to stop its attacks and prevent the collapse of the agreement.

The movement said it remained committed to the ceasefire arrangements and their implementation, but warned that the process could not succeed if Israeli violations continued unchecked.

The latest violence comes as negotiations and diplomatic contacts continue in Cairo, involving mediators, Palestinian factions and the Peace Council.

According to the statement, the council recently met with Netanyahu alongside US regional envoy Jared Kushner as part of efforts to advance the ceasefire roadmap.

The escalation has nevertheless continued despite US President Donald Trump’s announcement on July 31, 2026, that a “new agreement” had been reached to begin the roadmap’s second phase.

Israeli attacks have also continued despite the ceasefire agreement signed in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, on Oct. 10, 2025, under Arab and US mediation, which was intended to bring an end to the devastating war in Gaza.

For Palestinians in Gaza, the latest attacks have intensified fears that the ceasefire could once again give way to large-scale violence.

Hamas said the international community must move beyond statements of concern and take concrete measures to ensure that Israel complies with its commitments.

The movement urged mediators and guarantor states to prevent further attacks, protect Palestinian civilians and ensure implementation of the remaining provisions of the ceasefire agreement.

Al-Hayya warned that without immediate intervention, continued Israeli attacks could destroy diplomatic efforts and push Gaza into another devastating cycle of violence. (ILKHA)