A Hamas’s head expresses his reservations in regards to the assault on Israel on 7 October

Jerusalem – For months, Hamas leaders have defended the militant group’s determination to start out the October 7, 2023 assault towards Israel, though it triggered a damaging Israeli assault that killed tens of 1000’s of Palestinians from Gaza and lowered the territory to garbage

Hamas has declared “victory” over Israel, and a few of its officers have promised their fighters will carry out Extra assaults Within the October seventh fashion sooner or later.

However now considered one of Hamas’s main officers is publicly expressing his reserves for the assault, which additionally triggered a humanitarian disaster that just about shifted 2 million folks and triggered a important lack of meals and medical care.

Mousa Abu Marchukmentioned the top of the Hamas Overseas Workplace primarily based in Qatar New York Instances That I might not have supported the assault if I had identified the destruction they might trigger in Gaza.

The actual fact of recognizing the results, he mentioned, would have made it “not possible” to help the assault.

Abu Marchuk has mentioned he was not knowledgeable of the precise plans for the October 7 assault, during which roughly 1,200 folks died and about 250 have been taken as a hostage, however that he and different Hamas political leaders had supported their normal technique their normal technique of attack To Israel.

“If what occurred that occurred, it might not have been on October 7,” so far as it’s involved, he mentioned.

He additionally recommended that he had a sure will inside Hamas to barter the way forward for Gaza’s weapons -which was some extent of friction in negotiations with Israel -adopting a place that different Hamas officers refused.

An engagement may help Hamas and Israel keep away from a resumption of battle, analysts say. Israel has mentioned that you really want Hamas to dismantle her navy expertise.

Abu Marchuk, 74, the primary chief of Political workplace Hamas within the 1990s made these statements in a telephone interview on Friday.

It isn’t clear what Abu Marchuk’s opinions round October 7 are separated from different Hamas leaders, or whether or not they have been an try to affect negotiations with Israel or suppress different leaders throughout the militant group.

Different Hamas leaders, particularly these carefully associated to Iran and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, They have a tendency to undertake a more durable line.

In an announcement revealed after the publication, Hamasi mentioned feedback that the instances attributed to Abu Marchuk have been “Incorrect“And brought from the context.

He additionally mentioned that Hamas’s senior official described the assault of October 7 as “an expression of our folks’s proper to their resistance and refusal of siege, occupation and development of settlements”.

The assertion added that Abu Marchuk claimed the group’s place that “resistance weapons” can’t be deserted whereas “exists The occupation of our land“

Their feedback recommend that there are variations between Hamas officers over the October 7 celebration line and its penalties.

In addition they present that the disappointments of the Gaza Palestinians, who say the assault has made them endure large struggling, have some INFLUENCE Inside the management of Hamas.

Abu Marchuk’s feedback have been just like what he did Nasrallah HasanHezbollah chief, after the 2006 battle between Israel and Hezbollah.

The diploma of destruction in that battle led Nasrallah to confess that his group wouldn’t have kidnapped and killed some Israeli troopers on the time if he had identified that he would trigger a Such a robust response.

Within the coming days, Israel and Hamas are anticipated to start a debate within the second section of excessive fireplace in Gaza, which requires a everlasting finish of the preventing, a complete Israeli withdrawal and the discharge of extra Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners.

However the delays firstly of those conversations, elevated in disputes over the implementation of the primary section, have strengthened the concern that the ceasefire could crumble and the battle may very well be rebuilt.

Abu Marchuk, who spent years dwelling in the US, has lengthy been thought to be considered one of Hamas’s most pragmatic figures.

The battle has had a excessive price to his household, as his 77 -year -old brother, Yousef, died in preventing.

“He is not a nihilist,” mentioned Stanley Cohen, a Lawyer and Marchuk’s pal for an extended -time New York -based.

“He wouldn’t help any motion that, in his opinion, would imply a generalized and unprecedented revenge by each individual towards folks.”

Abu Marchuk mentioned that Hamas’s survival within the struggle towards Israel was in itself a “sort of victory”.

He additionally in contrast Hamas to a median one that fights towards Mike Tyson, the previous heavy -duty boxing champion:

If the novice with out coaching survived Tyson’s blows, folks would say he was victorious, he mentioned.

In absolute phrases, he mentioned it might be “unacceptable” to assert that Hamas gained, particularly given the extent of what Israel triggered to Gaza.

“We’re speaking a couple of celebration who misplaced management of ourselves and retaliated for every little thing,” he mentioned, referring to Israel.

“That is not a victory beneath any circumstances.”

The Israeli military has claimed that it has carried out its air and land campaigns in Gaza in accordance with worldwide legislation, and that it was finishing up assaults towards Hamas, for which the US and different international locations have appointed as a terrorist group.

However authorized specialists have accused Israel of utilizing drive in a method that resulted within the deaths of many civilians.

Abu Marchuk additionally recommended that there’s a sure opening inside Hamas’s management to barter the way forward for Gaza’s weapons, a barbed subject that different Hamas officers have mentioned is out of bounds.

“We’re prepared to speak about any subject,” he mentioned, when requested about weapons.

“Anydo theme that’s placed on the desk. We have to speak about it.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has insisted that his nation is not going to finish the battle with Hamas with out dismantling the group authorities and navy capacities.

Though Hamas has expressed his willingness to provide a civil authorities in Gaza, he has refused Submit your weapons.

Abu Marchuk’s statements appeared to oppose these of Osama Hamdan, one other Hamas official, who mentioned at a convention in Doha, Qatar, in the course of this month that “resistance weapons” weren’t in dialogue, apparently throwing down a dedication.

When requested about Hamdan’s statements, Abu Marchuk mentioned no chief may create the agenda alone.

Ibrahim Majoun, an analyst close to Hamas, mentioned he had Quite a few views Inside the group on vital points, however when their establishments decided, everybody supported it.

Since El Alto El Fuego first got here into drive on January 19, the Hamas fighters have been being paraddated for Gaza with a rifle, sending a message to Israel, the worldwide group and the Palestinians that the group nonetheless had management.

Abu Marchuk refused to reply particular questions on potential commitments within the Hamas weapon subject.

These commitments could embrace Hamas to keep up their weapons in internationally overseen buildings, agreed to resign the reconstruction of their tunnel community and rocket arsenal, or prohibits the recruitment of fighters.

Disarmatization, specialists say, is unlikely.

Because the conversations about Alto El Fuego’s second section have stalled, Israeli and American officers have more and more talked in regards to the enlargement of the primary section.

Abu Marchuk added that the discharge of some hostages and prisoners may very well be mentioned throughout an extension of the primary section.

However he defined that, in each circumstance, I wish to search far more prisoners in change for every mortgage as a result of the group considers that the remaining Israeli hostages are troopers.

He talked about 500 and 1,000 prisoners as potential figures for every mortgage.

In the course of the first section, tons of of Palestinian prisoners have been launched, however the variety of prisoners led by the host has not usually exceeded 50.

Abu Marchuk mentioned that Hamas was additionally able to liberate all of the hostages on the similar time if Israel was able to liberate 1000’s of Palestinians of their prisons, ending the battle and withdrawing from Gaza.

“We’re prepared to achieve an integral deal,” he mentioned.

Israeli officers have beforehand rejected proposals to change all hostages to all prisoners.

C.2025 New York Instances Firm