Exiled Hamas chief Khaled Meshaal mentioned the Palestinian group would rise “like a phoenix” from the ashes regardless of heavy losses throughout a year-long struggle with Israel, and that it continues to recruit fighters and manufacture weapons.
A 12 months after the Hamas assault that sparked the struggle, Meshaal framed the battle with Israel as half of a bigger narrative spanning 76 years and relationship again to what Palestinians name the “Nakba” or “disaster,” when many had been displaced through the 1948 struggle that accompanied the creation of Israel.
“Palestinian historical past is manufactured from cycles,” Meshaal, 68, a senior Hamas determine below chief Common Yahya Sinwar, advised Reuters in an interview.
“We undergo phases by which we lose martyrs (victims) and lose a part of our army capabilities, however then the Palestinian spirit rises, just like the phoenix, thank God.”
Meshaal, who survived an Israeli assassination try in 1997 after being injected with poison and was Hamas’ total chief from 1996 to 2017, mentioned the Islamist terrorist group may nonetheless mount ambushes towards Israeli troops.
Hamas additionally fired 4 missiles into Gaza on Monday morning, the anniversary of the Hamas assault on southern Israel that sparked the struggle. They had been all intercepted.
“We misplaced a few of our ammunition and weapons, however Hamas continues to recruit younger folks and continues to fabricate a major a part of its ammunition and weapons,” Meshaal mentioned, with out giving additional particulars.
Meshaal stays influential in Hamas as a result of he has performed a vital function in its management for practically three a long time and is now broadly seen as its diplomatic face. His feedback seem meant to be an indication that the group will combat regardless of its losses, Center East analysts mentioned.
“Total, I’d say that (Hamas) continues to be alive and properly and … will in all probability return sooner or later to Gaza,” mentioned Joost R. Hiltermann, director of the Worldwide Disaster Group’s Center East and North Africa Program.
He mentioned Israel had not detailed a plan for Gaza when the struggle ends, and that this might permit Hamas to reestablish itself though maybe not as strongly or in the identical manner.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s workplace declined to touch upon Meshaal’s feedback.
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Israel started its offensive towards Hamas after about 1,200 folks had been killed and about 250 taken hostage within the Hamas assault on October 7 final 12 months, based on Israeli counts.
A lot of Gaza has been devastated and a few 42,000 Palestinians have been killed within the offensive, based on Palestinian well being officers.
Israel says Hamas not exists as an organized army construction and has been decreased to guerrilla techniques. In response to Israeli officers, a minimum of a 3rd of the Palestinian victims in Gaza, some 17,000 folks, are Hamas fighters. Some 350 Israeli troopers have been killed in fight in Gaza.
Meshaal mentioned he sees no prospects for peace so long as Netanyahu’s authorities is in energy. Israel blames Hamas, whose founding constitution requires Israel’s destruction, for failing to safe peace.
“So long as the (Israeli) occupation exists, the area will stay a ticking time bomb,” Meshaal mentioned.