The Latest | Hamas says Israel's operation in north Gaza could sink cease-fire efforts

Hamas has warned that Israel’s expanding military operations in Gaza City and the displacement of thousands of residents could have “disastrous repercussions” for talks aimed at a cease-fire and the release of Israeli hostages.

The militant group said in a statement Monday that its top political leader Ismail Haniyeh warned mediators of the “collapse” of the negotiations, saying Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Israeli army would bear “full responsibility.”

The statement came days after the two sides had appeared to have narrowed gaps in the long-running talks aimed at pausing the fighting nine months into the war in Gaza. Talks on a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip were expected to resume this week.

Hamas wants an agreement that ensures Israeli troops fully leave Gaza and that the war ends. Israel says it cannot halt the war before the Palestinian militant group is eliminated. Postwar governance and security control of the enclave have also been contentious issues.