‘Barbaric’: Hamas chief accuses Israel of 'war crimes' days after deadly attack

In a letter addressed to United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh has accused Israel of committing war crimes, days after the terrorist group slaughtered 1300 people after a surprise raid. The letter was posted on the group's website.

Haniyeh was referring to Israel pounding Gaza with air strikes and blocking humanitarian aid from entering the region.

He described what he called "Israeli atrocities" as war crimes.

"Israeli atrocities amount to war crimes," he said.

He also slammed Israel for "barbaric Israeli siege imposed" on the Palestinian territory. He claimed Israel has banned entry of humanitarian aid and medical supplies to the Gaza Strip.

Israel has blocked humanitarian raids and is bombing premises linked to the terror group. The country has asked Palestinians to evacuate the northern Gaza Strip. It is expected that the country will launch a ground offensive against Hamas.

On October 7, Hamas terrorists gunned down, stabbed and put afire 1300 people, including women and children, after launching raids from ground, air and water, into Israeli cities.

Israel, vowing to wipe out Hamas from the face of the planet, launched an aerial bombing spree in which over 2200 people have died in Gaza so far.

Around 1.1 million people live in the north of Gaza, one of the most densely populated regions in the world.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres described the situation in Gaza as "a dangerous new low".

"Even wars have rules," he said.

He added that civilians must be protected and also never used as shields.

Apart from seek-and-destroy missions, the Israeli military is also looking for nearly 150 people taken hostage by Hamas.

Israel said bombardment was just the beginning of the campaign to crush Hamas.

On Saturday, it announced it killed Ali Qadi, a company commander of the Hamas 'Nukhba' commando force" involved in the October 7 attack.

With inputs from AFP

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