Middle East Monitor / August 3, 2024
The head of the Hamas movement abroad, Khaled Meshaal, reiterated on Friday that the movement “will not recognize Israel” and that: “Killing one of our leaders only makes our people stronger.”
This came in a speech during the funeral ceremony for the head of the Hamas political bureau, Ismail Haniyeh, and his bodyguard, Wassim Abu Shaaban, at the Imam Muhammad Bin Abdul Wahhab Mosque in the Qatari capital, Doha.
Meshaal asserted: “We will not compromise on our principles, nor will we recognize Israel. Our people will remain committed to our national unity and will follow the path of jihad, resistance and restoring our rights.”
He questioned: “Our enemies (referring to Israel) have not learned their lesson. They have killed our leaders for 100 years, and what has happened?” before answering: “Whenever a leader is killed, another leader has come and only made our people stronger.”
“The enemies do not know that we live as mujahideen, that we meet our Lord as martyrs and we are good at making life and making death by the command of God,” Meshaal added.
Meshaal continued: “The loss of our brother (Haniyeh) is great, but our enemies do not know that the blood of the martyrs shortens the path to freedom and victory.”
“We will remain committed to our path as pressure does not work with us and threats and intimidation do not break us, nor do they make us abandon our principles in the slightest. Palestine will remain, from its river to its sea and from its north to its south. Jerusalem is our Qibla and our goal, and there is no place for the Zionists on the land of Palestine.”
“We say to the leaders of the nation that it is time for the nation to return to its senses,” he declared.
Meshaal added: “Haniyeh lived among his people in Al-Shati refugee camp in Gaza City, feeling the pain of his people and sharing their joys. He served his cause, his people and Jerusalem. He served as a mujahid and a preacher who memorized the Holy Quran. He served the cause as prime minister and was always among his people.”
He stressed that Haniyeh: “Only left Gaza for the sake of fighting for his cause across the world.”
On Wednesday, Hamas and Iran announced the assassination of Haniyeh in an Israeli airstrike that targeted his residence in Tehran the day after he participated in the inauguration ceremony of President Masoud Pezeshkian. Tel Aviv has not yet claimed responsibility.
Both Hamas and Iran have vowed to respond to the assassination of Haniyeh, amid international calls and efforts to calm the situation continue for fear of the conflict expanding across the region.
