The militant group Hamas has said the "battle is still ongoing" in a statement marking two years since its October 7 attack on Israel—the biggest massacre of Jewish people since the Holocaust—that triggered the current war in Gaza.
Hamas had responded positively to elements of U.S. President Donald Trump's peace deal to end the war, agreed with Israel and Arab states in the Middle East.
But Hamas has not so far fully signed on, as negotiators hold talks in Egypt on the finer details of Trump's complex multi-point plan.
"Two years after the Al-Aqsa Flood," Hamas said in a statement, originally in Arabic and shared across Palestinian media, "the battle is still ongoing, and its political and military repercussions remain clearly visible across the region."
October 7 Two-Year Anniversary Marked
The "Al-Aqsa Flood" is the term used by Hamas for the October 7 attack, which killed nearly 1,200 people in Israel, mostly civilians, and saw dozens of hostages kidnapped and taken into Gaza.
Israel vowed to eliminate Hamas from the Gaza Strip. Its war has also taken a huge toll on ordinary Gazans, with whole areas razed to the ground.
The war has resulted in the deaths of 67,160 Palestinians, and nearly 170,000 wounded, according to figures provided by Gaza's Health Ministry. More than half of the deaths were women and children, the ministry stated. The Gaza Strip has been left in ruins.
A U.N. Commission of Inquiry found evidence that Israel had committed acts of genocide in Gaza, an accusation it strongly rejects.
Trump's Peace Plan
Indirect negotiations over Trump's peace plan entered a second day on Tuesday in the Red Sea Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh.
An unnamed Egyptian official with knowledge of the discussions told The Associated Press that the first round of talks on Monday were positive, with the parties agreeing on most of the first-phase terms, including the release of hostages and establishing a ceasefire.
Trump said on Monday he thought there was a "really good chance" of a "lasting deal."
"This is beyond Gaza," he said. "Gaza is a big deal, but this is really peace in the Middle East."
Hamas Disarming Is Major Issue
However, the demand that Hamas disarms remains a major issue in securing the deal.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has insisted that Hamas must disarm. The militant group has not yet commented on whether it would be willing to take that step.
Trump's plan involves an international security force in place in Gaza following Hamas disarming. Trump and former U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair would then oversee the governance of the territory.
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.
