Egypt Daily News – The Head of the External Relations Department of Hamas, Ali Baraka, stated that Palestinian resistance and its weapons are a “reaction” to the Israeli occupation, emphasizing that the fundamental issue in occupied Palestine is “the occupation itself, not the resistance or its arms.”
In an interview with Al Araby TV on Wednesday evening, he responded to Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s condition that disarming the resistance and expelling Hamas leaders abroad is necessary to end the war. Baraka said, “Adding a new, unrealistic condition of disarming the resistance is unacceptable, because the Palestinian people cannot give up their weapons,” stressing that “if the occupation ends, the resistance will end.”
He cited the events of 1982, saying: “When the Palestine Liberation Organization left Beirut and surrendered its weapons, the Zionist enemy committed the Sabra and Shatila massacre against Palestinians.” He added, “That is why the Palestinian people, who are going through a national liberation phase, cannot abandon their weapons.”
Baraka affirmed that Hamas is open to discussing a ceasefire and a long-term truce, but stated, “We cannot give up the weapons of the resistance… we consider that a waste of time.”
He accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of having no intention of ending the war, agreeing to a ceasefire, or retrieving Israeli captives, noting that “he is setting impossible conditions in order to prolong the aggression against the Palestinian people.”
Regarding the latest proposal by mediators, Baraka said the movement’s leadership is studying it “with full responsibility,” but has informed the mediators that “any initiative must include a permanent ceasefire, a complete withdrawal of the occupation army from the Gaza Strip, lifting the blockade, allowing aid in, and agreeing on a mechanism to begin the reconstruction of Gaza.”
He concluded: “We reject any new conditions,” pointing out that had Netanyahu committed to the January 17 agreement, all Israeli hostages would have been released as part of the second phase, which was supposed to be completed today.
