The Israeli Jerusalem Post on Tuesday quoted Deputy foreign minister of the Hamas administration in Gaza Ghazi Hamad as saying that his group has no desire to engage Israel in another round of fighting.

Instead, Hamad insisted, Hamas is intent on preserving quiet in the Gaza Strip, the paper said.

Hamad denied reports that his organization is engaged in either direct or indirect negotiations with Israel over a long-term ceasefire in Gaza.

Hamad said that he did not envision a scenario in which the Hamas military wing would seek to escalate tensions on the ground in defiance of orders from the political echelon.