Hamas official vows to repeat October 7 attack, eliminate Israel
What's the story
Ghazi Hamad, a top-ranking Hamas official, has reportedly lauded the October 7 attack on Israel and pledged to continue such offensives until the Jewish country is completely eradicated.
Speaking with LBC, a Lebanese television station, he said, "Israel is a country that has no place on our land. We must remove it because it constitutes a security, military and political catastrophe for Arab and Islamic nations."
It has been 27 days since a bloody war between Israel and Hamas began.
Context
Why does this story matter?
On October 7, Hamas attacked Israel, launching missiles into the Jewish land and breaching the Iron Wall.
In retaliation, the Israeli administration launched a full-fledged offensive against Hamas.
More than 1,400 people were slain in Israel during the initial Hamas incursion, while 229 others were taken as hostages into the Gaza Strip.
As of November 1, at least 8,805 Palestinians have been killed inside the Gaza Strip and another 130 in the West Bank, as per the Gaza Health Ministry.
Details
We want complete elimination of Israel: Hamad
During the interview, Hamad asserted that the existence of Israel is "illogical" and must be eliminated from all "Palestinian lands," a term used by Hamas to refer to the West Bank, Gaza, and Israel, excluding the Golan Heights.
Hamad said they must teach Israel a lesson, not once but twice or thrice.
"The Al-Aqsa Deluge (the name Hamas gave its October 7 onslaught) is just the first time, and there will be a second, a third, a fourth," he said.
What Next?
Hamad claims no intention to harm civilians
Despite evidence of terror attacks on Israeli civilians under Hamas commanders' orders, Hamad reiterated that their intention was not to harm civilians but to encounter "complications" on the ground.
He said that Hamas and the rest of the Palestinians are the victims of "occupation."
"Anything we do on October 7, October 10, October one-millionth, everything we do is justified."
Insights
International lawmakers react to Hamas's interview
Meanwhile, UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly shared a snippet of Hamad's interview on X, asking, "How can there be peace when Hamas are committed to the eradication of Israel?"
He asserted that Hamas was committed to repeating the atrocities from 07/10 again and again.
United States presidential hopeful Nikki Haley also reacted to the clip and said that that is why there should be no ceasefire until Hamas is destroyed.
Haredi Jews
Haredi Jews sign up to fight for Israel
Hundreds of Haredi Jews have volunteered to join the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) as the war continues to escalate, per Times of Israel.
Haredi Jews are a community exempted from mandatory military service in Israel, enabling them to study Torah full-time at institutions.
Notably, many from the community have undergone their mobilization, setting up aid operations to aid Jewish soldiers and civilians.
Egypt
Egypt opens Rafah border crossing for first time
On Wednesday, scores of foreign and dual passport holders escaped Gaza as Egypt opened the Rafah border crossing for the first time since the Israel-Hamas war began on October 7.
While it is not clear how many people left the Gaza Strip, footage showed hundreds of people entering the Palestinian side of the terminal.
The opening came hours after Israel bombed the Jabalia refugee camp, killing top Hamas commander Ibrahim Biari and at least 50 civilians, Reuters reported.
Insight
Time is running out for Gaza residents, aid organizations warn
Aid organizations and the United Nations (UN) have warned that time is running out for many of Gaza's 2.4 million residents, who lack access to food, water, fuel, and medicine.
As Israel continues its siege, surgeons are performing amputations without anesthesia, and children are drinking salty water.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected calls for a humanitarian ceasefire, asserting that it would equate to "a call for Israel to surrender to Hamas, to surrender to terrorism...to barbarism."