– / AFP
This photo taken from Rafah shows smoke from Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip during an Israeli bombardment on January 21, 2024.
GAZA – This is a first for Hamas since its bloody attack on Israeli territory on October 7. In an unpublished document of almost twenty pages, published in English and Arabic, the terrorist movement provides “its version of the facts” and in particular reiterates that it has “done its best not to harm civilians” but acknowledges “mistakes.” .
“Mistakes may have been made in the implementation of Operation Al-Aqsa Flood due to the sudden collapse of the security and military apparatus and the chaos along the Israel-Gaza border,” Hamas admits in this document published on Sunday, 21 . January.
“Preventing harm to civilians, especially children, women and the elderly, is a religious and moral obligation of the fighters of the Al-Qassam Brigades,” he continues, referring to its armed wing. “If civilians were attacked, it was accidental and during confrontation with the occupying forces,” he said.
Hamas also calls for an end to “Israeli aggression, murder and ethnic cleansing against the entire population of the Gaza Strip” and “categorically” rejects “international or Israeli projects that aim to decide the future of the Gaza Strip.”
Benjamin Netanyahu rejects Hamas' conditions
As for the future of the territory, Hamas reiterates that “the Palestinian people have the ability to decide their future,” stressing that “no one in the world” has the right to decide for them. He says: “Hold the Israeli occupation legally responsible for the suffering it has inflicted on the Palestinian people,” and blame it for “the crimes against civilians, infrastructure, hospitals, educational institutions, mosques and churches.”
Shortly after the document's release, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he “categorically rejects” the terms of the “monsters of Hamas,” which demand “an end to the war, the withdrawal of our forces from Gaza” and “the release of all murderers.” ab and rapists” to release the hostages held in Gaza.
The October 7 attack killed 1,140 people, mostly civilians. That day, hundreds of Hamas fighters entered Israel from the Gaza Strip in vehicles, by air and by sea.
Numerous videos show gunmen killing civilians on the streets, in houses and on the grounds of a music festival in several locations.
Around 250 people were taken hostage in the attack, which was unprecedented in its violence and scale, and Israel says 132 people are still trapped in the strip of land – 28 of whom have died, according to official AFP figures.
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