GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — Hamas politburo Chief Ismail Haniyeh said Hamas does not oppose the creation of a Palestinian state along the 1967 borders in a gradual manner, but Hamas insists on not recognizing Israel, stressing that the Palestinian resistance has missiles that can hit any target in Israel.

“Hamas is not opposed to the establishment of a Palestinian state along the 1967 borders, but we remain steadfast in not recognizing the Israeli occupation on the rest of the Palestinian territories,” Haniyeh said during a conference call with Turkish journalists organized by the Palestinian Association of Communication and Information in Istanbul July 20.

He explained that his movement does not reject any diplomatic and political solutions that can grant the Palestinian people their rights, referring to the failed negotiations between the Palestinian Authority (PA) and Israel. “The Palestinian people have the right to resist peacefully and publicly as they want,” Haniyeh said.

Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem told Al-Monitor that “Haniyeh’s statements are not something new as they are in line with Hamas charter, which is the basis of the movement’s political speech.”