Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya said on Sunday that the terror group’s arms are “a right guaranteed by international law,” and rejected the International Stabilization Force (ISF) envisioned by US President Donald Trump’s Gaza peace plan, which was enshrined in a UN Security Council resolution last month.

In a speech marking the 38th anniversary of Hamas’s establishment, Hayya also confirmed that the Israel Defense Forces killed Raad Saad, a top Hamas commander, on Saturday. Separately, the Hamas-run interior ministry in Gaza accused Israel of orchestrating the killing of an internal security officer in the terror group on Sunday morning.

According to written comments published by Hamas, Hayya called in the speech for the ceasefire plan to proceed, “and especially complete the first phase that includes the entry of aid” into Gaza.

The first phase, which formed the basis of the current Gaza truce and hostage-release deal, is meant to end when Hamas returns all 48 living and dead hostages who were still in Gaza when the deal was signed on October 9. The remains of one hostage, Israel Police Master Sgt. Ran Gvili, are still in Gaza.

The second phase of Trump’s plan would see Hamas lay down its arms as the ISF takes responsibility for Gaza’s security, while Israel stages a further withdrawal in the Strip.

But in his speech, Hayya said the ISF should be limited to “maintaining the ceasefire and separating the parties along the Gaza Strip’s border.”

On the other hand, he said Hamas — which

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