In a surprising turn, Hamas's foreign relations head expresses hesitations about the fateful attack on October 7, 2023, which sparked severe humanitarian crises and escalated violence in the region.
Hamas Leader Questions Support for October 7 Attack on Israel
Hamas Leader Questions Support for October 7 Attack on Israel
Mousa Abu Marzouk divulges regret over the consequences of the military assault that led to widespread devastation in Gaza.
For months, Hamas has maintained a firm stance on its decision to launch the military offensive on October 7, 2023, which resulted in catastrophic Israeli reprisals and substantial loss of Palestinian lives in Gaza. Despite declaring "victory," recent comments from Mousa Abu Marzouk, the leader of Hamas’s foreign relations office based in Qatar, reveal a deep concern about the repercussions of that attack.
In an interview with The New York Times, Abu Marzouk stated that had he been aware of the profound devastation that would unfold in Gaza, he would have opposed the attack on Israel. The conflict since that day has caused extensive destruction, led to the deaths of tens of thousands of Palestinians, and has displaced nearly two million residents, suffering from critical shortages in food and healthcare.
Abu Marzouk noted he was unaware of the precise details for the October 7 operation, which took the lives of approximately 1,200 individuals and resulted in about 250 hostages. However, he confirmed that he and other political leaders of Hamas had backed the overarching strategy aimed at a military confrontation with Israel.
He stressed that had the full extent of the consequences been predictable, it would have eliminated the rationale for the October 7 attack, reflecting a significant shift in discourse within Hamas regarding the realities on the ground in Gaza following this military engagement.
