De facto Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh on Monday evening reiterated Hamas’ refusal to recognize Israel repeating his famous line, “Castles will not fall, neither will they determine our attitudes by force, and we will not recognize Israel.”

Haniyeh’s comments came during an iftar, the sundown meal breaking the Ramadan fast along with dignitaries from the eastern Gaza Strip. “The pledge between us and the Palestinian people is that we do not remiss martyrs’ blood, nor Jerusalem, nor our holy land. Our prisoners will be freed for sure.”