Hours after Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated in Iran, anxious residents in Israel-besieged Gaza voiced fear that his death would only prolong the military offensive ravaging the Palestinian enclave.

According to Reuters, a framed photo of Haniyeh amidst the ruins of his Gaza home reminded Palestinians of the death and destruction brought on by the conflict, with little hope for a truce as Hamas and Iran vow revenge against Israel for his killing.

“The world should now understand that Israel doesn’t want a ceasefire or an end to the war,” said Gaza resident Salah Abu Rezik.

“It is a very sad day. It is a big blow to us and it pains our hearts, a very sad morning,” Rezik, a 63-year-old man from Gaza City, told Reuters via a chat app.

Nadia, who gave only her first name, said she blamed both Hamas and Israel for the ongoing bloodshed accompanied by a humanitarian crisis in impoverished Gaza.

“Now I think there will never be a ceasefire in a very long time,” she said.