Mick Hartley

A ceasefire and negotiations, anyone?

Hamas official Ghazi Hamad on Lebanese TV:

Ghazi Hamad: "Israel is a country that has no place on our land. We must remove that country, because it constitutes a security, military, and political catastrophe to the Arab and Islamic nation, and must be finished. We are not ashamed to say this, with full force.  […]

"We must teach Israel a lesson, and we will do this again and again. The Al-Aqsa Flood is just the first time, and there will be a second, a third, a fourth, because we have the determination, the resolve, and the capabilities to fight. Will we have to pay a price? Yes, and we are ready to pay it. We are called a nation of martyrs, and we are proud to sacrifice martyrs.  […]

"We did not want to harm civilians, but there were complications on the ground, and there was a party in the area, with [civilian] population… It was a large area, across 40 kilometers…  […]

"The occupation must come to an end."

News anchor: "Occupation where? In the Gaza Strip?"

Hamad: "No, I am talking about all the Palestinian lands."

News anchor: "Does that mean the annihilation of Israel?"

Hamad: "Yes, of course. […]

"The existence of Israel is illogical. The existence of Israel is what causes all that pain, blood, and tears. It is Israel, not us. We are the victims of the occupation. Period. Therefore, nobody should blame us for the things we do. On October 7, October 10, October 1,000,000 – everything we do is justified."