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Israeli-Palestinian conflict

Israel destroys no more than 20% of Hamas's fighting capacity — top political official

Khalil al-Hayya said that Hamas would like to see "a fully sovereign Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip and the return of Palestinian refugees in accordance with the international resolutions"

NEW YORK, April 25. /TASS/. The Israeli army has destroyed no more than 20% of the military potential of the Palestinian Hamas movement in the Gaza Strip, Khalil al-Hayya, the organization's political official, said

"They have not destroyed more than 20% of [Hamas’] capabilities, neither human nor [equipment] in the field," he told the Associated Press. According to the movement's deputy leader in Gaza, the conflict can be resolved through consensus-building.

He also said that Hamas would like to see "a fully sovereign Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip and the return of Palestinian refugees in accordance with the international resolutions." According to him, the group is willing to agree to a truce of five years or more with Israel and lay down its weapons if an independent Palestinian state is established within its pre-1967 borders.

The Hamas political official opined that if Israel leaves Palestinian land, all those who fought against it "will turn into political parties and their defending fighting forces will turn into the national army." He added that in this case the Haman military wing would be dissolved.

Tensions flared up again in the Middle East on October 7, 2023, when militants from the Gaza Strip-based radical Palestinian movement Hamas staged a surprise attack on Israeli territory from Gaza, killing residents of Israeli border settlements and taking over 240 hostages, including women, children and the elderly. In response, Israel launched a military operation in the Palestinian enclave to destroy Hamas' military and political wings and free all hostages. In late November 2023, a temporary humanitarian ceasefire was brokered by Egypt and Qatar, which lasted for a week. During this time, 110 hostages were released, according to the Israeli side. On December 1, the ceasefire was violated and hostilities resumed, continuing to this day.

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Israeli-Palestinian conflict

Military operation in Ukraine

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Ukraine presumably used US-made Excalibur shell for strike at Tokmak

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Marek Estok stressed that there is no military solution to the conflict

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Any aggression against Crimea to be met with crushing retaliation — Russian MFA

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Russian envoy slams US accusations of Russia’s involvement in cyberattacks on Europe

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Hamas delegation at Cairo talks to snub hostage deal — Kan Radio

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Russian tech firm ramps up production of glide bombs — CEO

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Press review: Biden losing traction amid student protests and EU's right-wing prospects

Top stories from the Russian press on Friday, May 3rd

US confirms Russian troops enter US base in Niger

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Military attaches visit trophies exhibition on Poklonnaya Hill

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Kremlin slams Macron's statement about possible sending troops to Ukraine 'very dangerous'

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Protesters against foreign-agents bill march through central streets in Georgian capital

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Ukraine's intelligence recognizes impossibility of victory on battlefield

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FSB eliminates Ukrainian saboteur who arrived in Russia from Lithuania

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