Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh said on Thursday that two industrial zones, a new power line and a hospital would be built for Palestinians in the Gaza Strip as part of truce understandings between his Islamist terrorist group and Israel.
The deal, brokered by Egypt, Qatar and the United Nations, has not been publicly acknowledged by Israel.
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In a briefing to foreign media, Haniyeh accused Israel of dragging its feet in carrying out its obligations under an indirect cease-fire for the Gaza Strip, saying the fragile deal was "in danger" of collapsing.
He said Israel had repeatedly reduced the size of Gaza's fishing zone, which he said was to be widened to 18 miles under the deal.
Israel and Egypt imposed a naval blockade on Gaza after Hamas violently seized control of the coastal enclave in 2007.
But he said Palestinian factions in Gaza were committed to maintaining calm by stopping incendiary balloon launchings and violent nighttime demonstrations along the border that have led to clashes with Israeli forces.
"We want to afford a dignified life for our Palestinian people and we want to spare our people repeated aggressions [by Israel]," said Haniyeh.
Israel says Hamas continues to fire incendiary balloons to torch farmlands in southern Israel and keeps up weekly riots along the volatile frontier. It says IDF troops open fire only to defend a sovereign border and accuses Hamas of using the crowds as cover to stage attacks.
Haniyeh said Hamas is "95% committed" to the truce and those who fire the balloons were "children."
He did not say when construction of the two industrial zones and the hospital would start, but he noted that funds from Qatar would be used to purchase a new power line from Israel and create new jobs.
Asked why Hamas won't talk directly to Israel for a better chance to implement the deal, Haniyeh said his group, which was founded on the goal of destroying Israel, has "obstructive lines on talking directly to the Israeli occupation."
"Negotiations between you and your enemy in principle is not a mistake, but at this time, with these conditions, it's a national crime if you do it," he said. Haniyeh said the Palestinian Authority's 25 years of one-off talks with Israel had resulted in more Israeli settlement activity in the West Bank and failed to grant the Palestinians an independent state.
Qatar in recent years has funneled hundreds of millions of dollars into relief projects in Gaza, viewing the aid as a way to stave off privation and fighting with Israel. It is unclear how much of this aid falls into the hands of Hamas' military wing. Unemployment in Gaza, which has a population of 2 million, is at 52%.
