Earlier in the day, the UN Security Council adopted a resolution calling for an immediate Ramadan ceasefire in Gaza that leads to a lasting and sustainable ceasefire. The motion was sponsored by the 10 non-permanent members of the council. Fourteen countries voted in favor, while the United States abstained.
"The Hamas Islamic Resistance Movement welcomes the UN Security Council's call for an immediate ceasefire, we stress the need to achieve a permanent ceasefire that will lead to the withdrawal of all Zionist [Israeli] forces from the Gaza Strip and the return of displaced persons to the homes from which they left," the statement said.
Hamas also confirmed its readiness to participate in an immediate prisoner exchange with Israel.
"In the context of the text of the resolution, it is important to ensure the freedom of movement of Palestinian citizens and access to all humanitarian needs of all residents in all areas of the Gaza Strip, as well as the passage of heavy equipment to clear rubble so that we can bury our martyrs who remained under the rubble for months," the statement read.