A high-ranking Hamas official named Ali Barakeh, who is part of Hamas’ exiled leadership, said in an interview that only a small number of top Hamas commanders inside Gaza were aware of the extensive infiltration into Israel launched on Saturday. He denied allegations that Iranian security officials helped orchestrate the attack or gave approval for it at a meeting last week in Beirut.
Barakeh acknowledged that allies like Iran and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah have provided assistance to Hamas in the past. However, he claimed that since the 2014 Gaza war, Hamas has been self-sufficient in producing its own rockets and training its fighters. He dismissed speculation that the attack was intended to disrupt US efforts to broker ties between Saudi Arabia and Israel.
Instead, Barakeh said the attack, planned for over a year, was driven by Israeli government actions over the past year. These include provocative visits by Israeli officials to the contested Jerusalem holy site called the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound by Muslims and the Temple Mount by Jews, as well as increased pressure on Palestinian prisoners held in Israel.
Barakeh expressed surprise at the extent of the incursion dubbed “Operation Al-Aqsa Storm,” saying Hamas had only expected a limited operation. He claimed Hamas thought Israel would prevent or restrict the attack. He stated that out of around 40,000 Hamas fighters in Gaza, only about 2,000 have participated in the fighting so far.
Barakeh said Hamas intends to use the scores of Israelis captured in the raid to secure the release of all Arab prisoners held in Israeli jails. He even suggested Hamas would seek the release of some Palestinians imprisoned in the United States on charges of funding Hamas.
He asserted Hamas is prepared for a prolonged war with Israel, claiming they have a stockpile of rockets that will last for a long time. Barakeh warned that Hamas will severely disrupt civilian life in Israel if the Israeli military aggression on Gaza does not stop.
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