Hamas: Israel has never needed a ‘pretext’ to wage war on Gaza

Hamas yesterday voiced “regret” over remarks by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas at the Arab Summit in which he accused the movement of having given Israel “pretexts” to wage war on Gaza.

In a statement, Hamas said Israel, which has been killing, terrorising and torturing defenceless Palestinains since 1948, does not need pretexts to commit more crimes against them.

The movement added that the Al-Aqsa Flood operation on 7 October constituted the most important episode in the Palestinian people’s struggle against the Israeli occupation that violates their rights and sanctities, and abuses all Palestinians including prisoners.

It reiterated its keenness to complete national unity, saying its leadership has shown the required flexibility at all stages, in order to strengthen the internal front and unify the national ranks in the face of the dangers afflicting the Palestinian cause including in the recent meetings that took place in Moscow and Beijing.

During the summit, the PA’s leader blamed the resistance operation on 7 October claiming it had provided Israel with an excuse to launch a genocidal war on the besieged enclave.

Israel has killed more than 35,200 Palestinians and wounded more than 79,200 others since October. Most of the casualties are children and women. Millions are displaced in Gaza, and face famine and acute shortages of medical aid and other essentials.

Israel is facing charges of genocide at the International Court of Justice and has also laid waste to large swathes of the besieged enclave, devastating everything from housing to medical facilities, educational institutes and all sorts of other civilian infrastructure.

Read: South Africa provides evidence of Israel’s violation of the Genocide Convention at the ICJ