Osama Hamdan
Osama HamdanReuters

Senior Hamas official Osama Hamdan said on Monday evening that even if a ceasefire is achieved with Israel, the terrorist organization will continue to "build its capabilities because it has no faith in the Zionist enemy."

His remarks were quoted in various Palestinian Arab news agencies and translated by Channel 10 News.

"The ceasefire arrangement does not include the construction of a seaport or an airport outside the Palestinian territories - everything published so far on this matter is a lie," declared Hamdan.

He further claimed that "the Zionist enemy has reached the conclusion that the Palestinian resistance cannot be eliminated and Israel will see that it made a grave mistake if the truce with Hamas fails. If a ceasefire is achieved, then we will not delay in working on the lifting of the siege and the lifting of the sanctions on the Gaza Strip."

Hamdan also said that the terrorist organization "wants to obtain a prisoner exchange deal with Israel more than in the past." He added that a prisoner exchange deal would be separate from talks on a truce.

His comments come as Egypt continues mediating talks on a long-term ceasefire between Hamas and Israel.

Senior Hamas officials recently claimed that negotiations have made significant progress, and that a ceasefire is expected to be reached next week, following the Eid al-Adha holiday.

Despite the progress with the negotiations, tensions remain high in the region following an upsurge in Hamas attacks on Israeli targets including the killing of an IDF soldier on the Gaza border by a Hamas sniper, and a wave of rocket and mortar attacks on Israeli towns and army positions in the Gaza border area.

The Palestinian Arab factions were to resume talks in Cairo on Monday, but Hamas political bureau member Husam Badran said on Sunday night that the talks had been postponed, without proving a reason for the postponement.