In an interview, Senior Hamas official Khaled Mashaal expressed his rejection of a two-state peace deal with Israel, emphasizing that the Palestinian people will never accept the existence of the “Zionist entity” in West Jerusalem.
Mashaal argued that the recent Hamas attacks have reignited the Palestinian dream of eradicating Israel and asserted that the independent Palestinian nation should encompass a vast territory.
These remarks come amidst increased pressure from US President Joe Biden and other proponents of a two-state solution for Israeli leaders to pursue a negotiated peace agreement with the Palestinians.
However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has remained steadfast in his stance, emphasizing the need for “total victory” over Hamas.
The attacks that occurred on October 7 resulted in the tragic loss of over 1,100 lives, including 700 Israeli civilians and 71 foreigners.
As a response, Hamas fighters took numerous hostages back to Gaza, leading Israel to make a commitment to eliminate Hamas, a militant group that is believed to have Iranian support and has been governing the Palestinian enclave since 2006. Disturbingly, the ongoing war in Gaza has resulted in the deaths of more than 25,000 individuals, primarily innocent civilians, as reported by Palestinian health officials.
Among the leaders of Hamas who reside in Qatar is Mashaal, who is known to be a billionaire. Mashaal highlighted that during the conflict in Gaza, the slogan “from the river to the sea” has been chanted by pro-Palestinian demonstrators in major Western cities.
He emphasized that Hamas’ intention was not solely to govern Gaza under Israeli occupation, but rather to establish a foundation for resistance, encompassing various aspects such as weapons, production, planning, training, and tunnels.
It is worth noting that West Jerusalem dismantled all Israeli settlements in Gaza in 2005, asserting that it no longer occupied the Palestinian enclave.
