Ismail Haniyeh, the leader of Hamas, declared on Wednesday that any post-conflict strategy in Gaza that does not include the Palestinian militant organization is merely a “dream.”

In a televised statement, Haniyeh declared, “Any arrangement in Gaza or in the Palestinian cause without Hamas or the resistance factions is a delusion.”

The day before, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that he would not permit “the entry into Gaza of those who… support terrorism and finance terrorism.” Haniyeh made these remarks.

Haniyeh, however, said he was open for talks for ending the Israeli assault and “putting the Palestinian house in order both in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.”

He said Hamas was ready for talks that could lead to a “political path that secures the right of the Palestinian people to their independent state with Jerusalem as its capital.”

He welcomed the efforts of Saudi Arabia and the Arab-Islamic ministerial committee to stop the war in Gaza.

He also called on Arab countries to use all options to stop the war.