Palestinian factions say they can still fight Israel one year after Gaza war began

Palestinian factions in Gaza have said that they are still able to fight Israel, and that no deal will be made until it ends its war, according to a statement circulated by Hamas on Saturday.

The factions met in Gaza to mark the first anniversary of the 7 October Hamas-led surprise attack against Israel, which they call Al-Aqsa Flood.

The groups said in a statement that they held "an important national meeting on the first anniversary of the Al-Aqsa Flood Battle... and in light of the war of genocide waged by the Nazi Zionist occupation against our Palestinian and Lebanese people and the peoples of our Arab and Islamic nation".

The factions claimed that they were still able to withstand Israeli attacks and continue operations

"The resistance, with all its factions, is in good condition and is in high and continuous coordination on all fronts and all axes of combat," they said.

"We salute our heroic Palestinian people and their proud and lofty resistance, who, through their steadfastness and perseverance, thwarted the occupation’s plans and liquidation projects that target the Palestinian identity and existence.

"We also salute the souls of our righteous martyrs and free prisoners, and we wish a speedy recovery to our brave wounded," the statement said.

One year on from the beginning of Israel's latest assault on Gaza, more than 41,000 Palestinians have been killed and close to 100,000 wounded, according to the Gaza health ministry.

Vast swathes of the coastal enclave now lie in ruins, with Israel having targeted key civilian infrastructure, including apartment blocks, schools, hospitals and roads.

Despite the scale of the destruction, Israel has yet to achieve its stated aim of dismantling Hamas and other affiliated groups in Gaza.

Israel's government has also come under increasing internal pressure to secure the release of the remaining captives in Gaza, who were taken by Hamas and other factions on 7 October last year.

With Israel now expanding its assault on Lebanon, hopes for a ceasefire in Gaza remain distant, with fears raised of a broader regional conflict.