Hamas spokesperson and Deputy Foreign Minister in Gaza, Ghazi Hamad, recently sat down for an interview with a BBC correspondent.
During this conversation, Hamad emphatically stated that there were no orders to target civilians during the invasion across the Israel borders.
He claimed that clashes and confrontations characterized the area, and this was not a deliberate attack on civilians.
The Discrepancy with Ground Reality:
However, Hamad’s statement directly contradicts the events that unfolded on October 7. Hamas fighters paraglided into Israel during this incident, where they ransacked a music festival.
This resulted in the horrifying slaughter of 260 festival attendees, with several others left maimed.
Shocking video clips and images emerged, revealing the brutal assault on Israeli citizens who were killed in their beds, leaving their bodies drenched in pools of blood.
Defending the Statement:
When confronted by the correspondent about the stark contrast between his statement and the actual events, Hamad continued to defend his position.
He claimed that the wide-area led to clashes and confrontations, but the journalist quickly pointed out that this couldn’t be defined as a confrontation when fighters invaded houses and killed people in their sleep.
Hamad reiterated, “I can tell you we didn’t have any intention or decision to kill civilians.”
Unsatisfied with this response, the journalist pressed Hamad to justify the killings, causing Hamad to abruptly end the interview.
Escalation and Ongoing Conflict:
The fallout from the October 7 attack and subsequent assaults by Hamas has been devastating. These actions have claimed up to 1,400 lives, with over 200 individuals believed to be taken hostage.
In retaliation, Israel has launched numerous airstrikes and brief raids to “prepare the battlefield” before more extensive ground incursions into Gaza.
High Human Cost:
According to Palestinian health officials, the conflict has taken a staggering toll on the people of Gaza.
They report that over 7,000 individuals in Gaza have lost their lives since the fighting erupted.
The Israel-Hamas conflict remains an ongoing and deeply troubling issue in the region.
