Hezbollah stands with Palestine, ceasefire in Lebanon welcomed: Hamas
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Senior Hamas official Osama Hamdan discusses Israeli aggression on Gaza, the ceasefire in Lebanon, and the matter of Gaza's governance in an interview with Al Mayadeen.
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Hamas Politburo member Osama Hamdan speaks to Al Mayadeen on Sunday 18, 2023. (Al Mayadeen)
The Israeli occupation entity is trying to achieve through negotiations what it could not on the battlefield, senior Hamas official Osama Hamdan said, stressing that "this cannot be allowed to happen."
Speaking to Al Mayadeen on Monday, Hamdan clarified that talks regarding a five-day truce before resuming the aggression on Gaza do not meet the demands of the Palestinian people, adding, "We are committed to ending the aggression against our people."
Regarding the position of the Palestinian Resistance, the senior Hamas official said "Israel" wants to return its captives and force the Resistance to surrender before deciding whether it wants to stop its aggression or not, whereas the Resistance is trying to "strategically protect its people, by eliminating this entity and ensuring the safety and peace of the region."
In the Gaza battle, Hamdan further clarified that, if communication is lost with the fighters keeping the Israeli settlers captive, then all updates related to the captives are also cut, and if the fighters are martyred, then the captives' lives will be endangered, amid the absence of their caretakers.
In this context, he affirmed that no one can actually confirm the state of Israeli captives in Gaza.
Hamdan emphasized that despite all the destruction, killings, and displacement, the occupation has failed to achieve its objectives, noting that the latest US proposal for a ceasefire agreement in Gaza was presented before the American presidential elections.
Regarding relations with Qatar, a key mediator, the Hamas official affirmed that these ties have been clearly expressed by Doha, stressing "We assert that our relationship with Qatar is deeper than what the occupation tries to portray."
Hamas is for a ceasefire in Lebanon
Discussing the Lebanese front, Hamdan described Sunday, during which the resistance carried out 51 operations, as "a glorious day of God," relaying that the Lebanese Resistance sent a clear and powerful message to the Israeli occupation.
He highlighted that the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon continues its efforts despite significant sacrifices, forcing the occupation to pay the price and forcing its officials into shelters.
"Any announcement of a ceasefire in Lebanon is welcomed, as Hezbollah has stood by our people and made great sacrifices," Hamdan stated, emphasizing that the resistance in Lebanon deserves support despite attempts by some to incite division and sectarian strife.
"We, in the Axis of Resistance, trust one another and coordinate on every detail," he concluded.
On Gazan affairs
On internal Palestinian affairs, Hamdan announced the success of the Cairo meeting with the Fatah movement in reaching an agreement on a framework to form a committee to manage Gaza's affairs.
He noted that a second meeting with Fatah was expected to finalize arrangements, "but it was delayed due to developments, including the martyrdom of leader Yahya Sinwar."
Hamdan emphasized that Hamas' position is for a national unity government to be formed to oversee Palestinian affairs, but "this has not been agreed upon."
Last month, an exclusive Palestinian source speaking to Al Mayadeen revealed that discussions in Cairo between Fatah and Hamas regarding the governance of Gaza have shown positive developments
According to the source, both sides have made significant progress in outlining the general principles for a new administrative framework in Gaza.
However, several contentious issues persist in the finer details, indicating that further negotiation and clarification are still needed.
The source detailed that Hamas has shown support for an administration made up of professional and competent individuals who would coordinate closely with the government in Ramallah. Fatah, on the other hand, prefers that this committee be formally affiliated with the government.
Read more: Hamas: No agreement with 'Israel' if Palestinian suffering not lifted
