Hamas’s political leader, Ismail Haniyeh, has accused Israel of carrying out “massacres” in the besieged Gaza Strip in an attempt to hide its own “defeats.” Haniyeh warned that the hundreds of Israeli and foreign hostages being held captive in Gaza are at risk of facing the same “death and destruction” as Palestinian residents due to the Israeli assault on the territory. He stated that Israel is committing “barbaric massacres against unarmed civilians” and that such actions will not save them from “resounding defeat.”
The Israeli assault on Gaza began on October 7 in response to a devastating attack by Hamas on southern Israel, resulting in the death of at least 1,400 people, mostly civilians, according to Israeli officials. Palestinian authorities report that the ongoing Israeli bombardment has claimed the lives of at least 8,796 people, including 3,648 children. Haniyeh pointed out that Hamas had previously warned Israel’s “fascist government” about its contentious policies, including the expansion of settlements in the West Bank and attacks on Islamic holy sites like the Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Haniyeh emphasized that regional unrest will persist until Palestinians obtain their legitimate rights to freedom, independence, and return. His remarks came after Israeli forces targeted the Jabalia refugee camp in north Gaza for the second consecutive day, resulting in dozens of casualties, according to Palestinian officials. The previous day, an Israeli air raid on the densely packed neighborhood had killed over 50 people, Palestinian authorities reported. Hamas claimed that seven Israeli hostages, including three with foreign passports, were killed in the attack. The group’s military wing previously stated that nearly 50 hostages had been killed in previous Israeli air raids on the besieged territory.
Israel’s military confirmed the attack on the Jabalia refugee camp, stating that it had killed senior Hamas member Ibrahim Biari, along with several other “terrorists.” The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has expressed deep concern over the devastating impact of the Israeli assault on children in Gaza, stating that over 420 children are being killed or injured each day.
Haniyeh called for an end to the bloodshed and urged the world to continue supporting the Palestinian cause to exert pressure on policymakers. He accused Israel and its ally, the United States, of obstructing mediation efforts. Notably, the US and Israel were among only 14 out of 193 UN member countries to vote against a general assembly resolution calling for an immediate humanitarian truce. However, 120 countries voted in favor of the resolution, while 45 abstained. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has consistently rejected calls for a ceasefire, arguing that it would be equivalent to surrendering to Hamas. The main Palestinian armed groups, including Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, have not called for a ceasefire.
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