Izzat al-Rishq, a member of Hamas’s political bureau, issued a statement denouncing Israel’s “suffocating siege imposed on our people in the Gaza Strip”, Al Jazeera reports.

“Tightening the siege on Gaza, now in its 16th day, reveals the sadism of the occupation and its utter disregard for basic human values,” Rishq said.

“By preventing the entry of essential supplies, the occupation is directly targeting Gaza’s most vulnerable populations — the sick, the elderly, children, and people with disabilities. These are the individuals who Netanyahu is seeking to kill as part of his new target list.”

Rishq said that the blockade “constitutes a full-scale genocide and a documented war crime, placing urgent pressure on the Arab, Islamic, and global conscience to act immediately and save more than two million people in Gaza”.

He added in his statement that the US must compel Israel to adhere to the ceasefire agreement as signed, rather than expanding the scope.

“The only way to protect the lives of Israeli captives and ensure their return to their families is by pressuring the occupation to uphold its commitments and prevent it from evading the terms of the ceasefire.”