In a televised speech, Haniyah added that "the cowardly enemy army could not confront our brave men, so it resorted to massacres."

"The enemy believes its massacres will erase its shameful humiliation and brokenness after the Qassam Brigades' strategic strikes," the Hamas leader said.

"We shall launch a strategy of liberation, no matter what the enemy may do with the support of the United States."

Haniyeh said, "The people of Gaza are rooted in their land, clinging to their patrimony; they shall not leave or abandon their land".

"I say to the enemy that the Al-Aqsa Flood is a sign that our liberation and return draw near," he said.

"There will be no migration from the West Bank or Gaza, nor from Gaza to Egypt, and I salute the brothers in Egypt."

"I say to my brothers in Egypt that we intend to remain in our land, and your position is the same as our own."

Egypt positions
 

On Thursday, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi said Palestinians in Gaza must remain on their land.

Since the start of the war between Hamas and Israel on 7 October, Egypt has repeatedly rejected any displacement of the Palestinian people from Gaza toward Egypt.

Moreover, Egypt has stressed that any evacuation of foreign nationals from Gaza to Egypt must be part of an agreement to deliver aid to the Palestinians in Gaza.

Egypt has been receiving aid at El-Arish International Airport in North Sinai to prepare to deliver it to the Gaza Strip.

Hamas attacked Israeli military installations and settlements in Gaza Envelope on 7 October, killing hundreds of Israelis and wounding thousands of others.

Immediately afterward, Israel launched an all-out attack on the Gaza Strip, killing nearly 2,000, wounding thousands of others, destroying tens of residential buildings, and leaving hundreds of thousands homeless.

Israel has also laid a complete siege to the strip, cutting off water, food, and electricity supply.

Meanwhile, Hamas has fired a large number of rockets at various Israeli towns and cities.

Israel has been preparing for a ground invasion of the strip.

Israel also issued a warning to 1.1 million Palestinians in the north of Gaza to head to the south of the strip.

Last week, Israel bombed the Palestinian side of the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and Gaza, thus preventing Egyptian trucks from delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza.

Hamas defiant
 

"The Hamas movement will not be shaken, nor will its rifles falter in the face of deceitful Israeli propaganda," Haniyeh added.

"We repeat that we do not target civilians, either adults or children," added Haniyeh.

Haniyeh thanked the demonstrators "who stood in Arab and international capitals in support of Gaza," and called for their continued solidarity and protests.

"I say to the Palestinian people in all cities: Do Not Stop!"

"We will continue our struggle until we have a state; until our captives are liberated; and until our displaced people return to their homes."