Ghazi Hamad, a senior Hamas official, argued in an interview earlier this week that Israel should accept a truce if Hamas terrorists are allowed to continue attacks.
Hamad has already stated that Hamas will strike Israel “again and again” on October 7 until Israel ceases to exist, so these comments come as no surprise. Last month, Hamas killed 1,400 Israelis, injured 5,300, and kidnapped over 240.The comments were made by Hamad in an interview with NBC News’s international correspondent Matt Bradley, which aired on Thursday.
He insisted that in exchange for the release of the hostages, Israel must free the thousands of Palestinian criminals and terrorists currently imprisoned in Israel. Hamas reportedly told Russian media that a truce between Israel and Hamas is necessary to free the hostages.
“But how can you go on television in Lebanon here last week and say that you will continue your aggression? How can you ask for a ceasefire, how can you ask for Israel to stop their aggression?” Asked Bradley. Repeatedly launching October 7s is what you will do.”What do you want us to do? to halt?” Asked Hamad.
Bradley warned Hamas that the truce must be mutual in order to be effective.
Not at all, Hamad said in response; “we want to continue (fighting) against the occupation.” We have every right to resist the occupation in this way. It’s in accordance with the laws of the world. In accordance with all applicable rules and statutes. The Nazis must be defeated in Europe.In response to Bradley’s questions concerning whether or not Hamas had deliberately targeted and killed Israeli civilians, Hamad said, “I don’t have any details about this.”
Then, Bradley questioned Hamad on his earlier comments that the terrorist act was ultimately beneficial since it sparked anti-Semitic riots in several countries due to the Palestinian situation. Hamad did not dismiss the possibility that Hamas will kill more people in order to incite additional protests, but he did say that Hamas had no choice but to continue fighting Israel.Would you do it again knowing that you are responsible for the deaths of thousands of innocent people? Asked Bradley. You’ve promised to take up the cause once more, and I applaud that. Will you increase civilian casualties in order to increase the number of demonstrators in Washington, DC?
“We are still fighting. And you want us to just stop? Hamad spoke up now. To paraphrase, “If we are stopped now, we will go back to the miserable situation, to humiliation, to be under the occupation.”