A Hamas leader said on Saturday that the Gaza organization will not engage in direct negotiations with Israel.

The comments by Ismail Haniyeh, the deputy chief of Hamas' political bureau, came in response to a statement by another senior Hamas official, Moussa Abu Marzouk, who on Thursday said direct talks with Jerusalem are not out of the question.

Indirect negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians over a truce in Gaza are to resume within two weeks in Egypt.

Speaking to reporters in Gaza, Haniyeh further stressed that Hamas will not discuss Gaza's demilitarization.

"The weapons of the resistance are legitimate, and will remain in place until the entire land of Palestine is liberated," Haniyeh said. " The weapons of the resistance need to be left out of the debate. It is a red line that is not to be touched."

Hamas' first priority is rehabilitating Gaza and providing aid to the Palestinian people, he said.

Abu Marzouk said on Thursday that while Hamas' policy has been not to take part in direct talks with Israel, the policy isn't imposed by sharia law.

He gave no indication that Hamas had immediate plans to negotiate with Israel. Rather, he insisted that the reason for the change in policy reflected growing tensions with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, whom Hamas believes is trying to reclaim control of Gaza.

"Hamas finds itself compelled to make this move when the natural rights of the people in Gaza come under pressure from the Palestinian Authority and the government," he said.