The Palestinian people and their Resistance have achieved their objectives in Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, foremost among them bringing the Israeli occupation entity to its knees, shattering its image as an invincible entity, and dismantling the myth of its army as an indomitable force, the head of Hamas in the Gaza Strip, Khalil al-Hayya, said.

In a speech delivered on Friday evening in tribute to Hamas' fallen leaders, al-Hayya emphasized that “defeating the entity is now possible, and the liberation of all of Palestine has become attainable” following Al-Aqsa Flood.

He also noted that the Resistance had decided to officially announce the martyrdom of several senior commanders only after the cessation of fighting in Gaza, stressing that they had "passed the banner, held high, to a new generation of warrior leaders who will continue the march toward al-Quds and al-Aqsa [Mosque] and pave the way for the great return."

Al-Hayya further highlighted that Hamas' leaders are "at the forefront of the martyrs, standing shoulder to shoulder with their people in the same trench."

He added that these commanders “willingly offered their lives for the sake of God alongside the fighters, fearing no death, engaging the enemy on the frontlines of resistance, all in pursuit of a free and dignified Palestine."

In the same context, the head of Hamas in Gaza affirmed that history will record that the heroes of the al-Qassam Brigades and the Resistance "forced the enemy to its knees" just as they pledged.

He pointed to the gradual liberation of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails and the withdrawal of Israeli soldiers from Gaza "humiliated and subdued," and pursued by the Resistance and its supporters worldwide.

Mohammed Deif; the man adored by millions

Al-Hayya dedicated part of his speech to the late Mohammed Deif, al-Qassam Brigades' Commander-in-Chief, describing him as "the inspirational leader of struggle and resistance, the man adored by millions who chanted his name without ever seeing his image."

He asserted that Deif’s name "struck fear into the hearts of the enemy and terrorized them, his very shadow haunting them," adding that he "spent his life as both the hunted and the hunter, outmaneuvering his pursuers for over 30 years."

Furthermore, al-Hayya noted that the martyr Deif began his journey at a time when "Hamas did not possess rifles or bullets, and neither the movement nor al-Qassam Brigades had anything but a clear vision and unshakable will."

Together with his comrades—both the living and the martyrs who preceded him, including Yasser al-Namrouti, Imad Aqel, and Salah Shehadeh—Deif "built an army (al-Qassam Brigades) capable of feats beyond what many armies around the world can achieve," al-Hayya emphasized.

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This army, according to the Hamas official, "strikes the enemy without hesitation, breaches borders, wages battles of heroism, and is built upon warrior fighters with vision, insight, and a sound doctrine before weapons and equipment."

"It is an army embraced by a resistance-driven society, ready to make every sacrifice for its freedom and independence," he added.

Following the same path, martyr Marwan Issa, known as “Abu Al-Bara,” was described by Al-Hayya as “a man of sharp vision, sound intellect, and unwavering resolve—one who always worked in silence, yet whose actions spoke volumes.”

Architects of Al-Aqsa Flood

Al-Hayya also paid tribute to the martyred commanders Ayman Nawfal, Ghazi Abu Tam’a, Raed Thabet, Rafe' Salama, and Ahmad al-Ghandour, describing them as "the architects of the [al-Aqsa] Flood."

He noted that each of these martyrs "left their distinct mark and played a pivotal role in building this great structure until it became solid and unbreakable, culminating in the grand battle of the Al-Aqsa Flood."

Touching on the battle, the senior Hamas official stressed that it was "the defining moment between the possible and the impossible," proving that "nothing is impossible for a people fighting for their freedom and for a resistance that holds its own decisions, will, and arms."

Hamas had "overcome severe challenges and hardships, with its martyrs rising to their responsibilities with unwavering resolve and relentless effort to transform strategies and visions into realities on the ground, particularly the commencement of the liberation project," al-Hayya pointed out.

Martyrs left behind a generation capable of completing the journey

In this context, al-Hayya commemorated martyr Ismail Haniyeh, describing him as "a great national symbol" and a loss to the Ummah, highlighting his calm wisdom, "behind which lay the fire of a revolutionary fighter."

He also honored the martyr Yahya Sinwar, calling him "the master of the Flood, the revolutionary leader who left an indelible mark on the history of Hamas and the Palestinian people, becoming an icon for every free and honorable person around the world who rejects oppression and aggression."

Additionally, al-Hayya paid tribute to martyr Saleh al-Arouri, "a fighter in prisons and beyond, who helped establish the al-Qassam Brigades in the West Bank and revived the spirit of resistance there."

Alongside these leaders, al-Hayya named several other martyrs who played significant roles in Hamas' journey, including: Tayseer Ibrahim, Chief Justice of Hamas, Osama al-Muzaini, Chairman of Hamas' Shura Council in Gaza, Sami Ouda, Head of Hamas' General Security in Gaza, Mohammed Abu Askar, member of Hamas' administrative office in Gaza, Khaled al-Najjar and Yassin Rabih, senior Hamas officials in the occupied West Bank, and Fathallah Sharif, Hamas' leader in Lebanon.

He also honored the martyrs of Hamas' political bureau in Gaza, including Rouhi Mushtaha, Sameh al-Siraj, Zakaria Ma’amar, Jameela al-Shanti, and Jawad Abu Shamala, in addition to commanders Samir Fendi and Azzam al-Aqra’.

He concluded by affirming that all these martyrs had "left behind a generation raised on the teachings of the Quran and the battlegrounds of jihad and resistance, equipped with the awareness, understanding, and willpower to carry on the journey and complete what the founding leaders—foremost among them, the movement’s founder Sheikh Ahmed Yassin—began."

Read more: Palestinian factions mourn national leader Deif, martyred comrades