[[{"content_id":411522,"content_number":0,"portal_id":2,"lang_id":"en","content_title":"‘History didn’t start on Oct. 7’:\r\n\r\nHamas defends Al-Aqsa Storm, says open to comprehensive ceasefire talks","content_rtitr":"","content_short_title":null,"content_summary":"Hamas is ready to adopt a comprehensive approach in the second round of Gaza ceasefire talks, a senior official said Sunday, defending the movement’s Al-Aqsa Storm's operation as an act of defense in response to decades-long Israeli atrocities.","content_summary_fill":1,"content_body":"&nbsp;\r\n\r\nBassem Naim, a member of Hamas&rsquo; political bureau, speaking in an interview with the Associated Press in the Qatari capital Doha, emphasized that &quot;We are open to a comprehensive approach in order to avoid further escalations or any further clashes or explosions.&rdquo;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWhile insisting that Hamas retains its &quot;right to resist,&quot; Naim stressed the group&rsquo;s openness regarding the fate of its weapons as part of a lasting solution leading to the establishment of a Palestinian state.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&quot;This time has to be used seriously and in a comprehensive way,&quot; he said, adding that Hamas is &quot;very open-minded&quot; about what to do with its arms.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&quot;We can talk about freezing or storing or laying down, with the Palestinian guarantees, not to use it at all during this ceasefire time or truce.&quot;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThe Gaza truce, in effect since October 10, has slowed down the US-Israeli genocide inside the strip, which has so far killed over 70,000 civilians and injured many more.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nUnder the terms of the ceasefire, Palestinian resistance committed to releasing the remaining 47 living and dead captives seized in the Al-Aqsa Flood operation.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAll of the captives have so far been released except for the body of an Israeli police officer.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nBenjamin Netanyahu, the regime&rsquo;s prime minister, wanted by the International Criminal Court for a Gaza war crimes probe, announced Sunday he expected the second phase of the ceasefire plan to begin soon.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nNetanyahu said they seek to &ldquo;achieve the disarmament of Hamas and the demilitarization of Gaza&rdquo; during the second-phase talks.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIsrael and its Western backers have consistently demanded the complete disarmament of Hamas and other resistance groups as a core condition for any lasting ceasefire.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nBut Palestinians have rejected this, arguing that they have a fundamental right to armed resistance against military occupation, a right enshrined under international law.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThey say surrendering their weapons without the simultaneous establishment of a sovereign Palestinian state, with full withdrawal from all occupied territories, is equivalent to signing a surrender document that guarantees their subjugation.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&lsquo;International force welcome&rsquo;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThe second stage of the Gaza truce plan involves further withdrawal of Israeli forces as a transitional authority is established, alongside the deployment of an international stabilization force.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThe Hamas official outlined the group&rsquo;s expectations for the agreement, welcoming the creation of an international force for supervision near the borders.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&quot;We are welcoming a UN force to be near the borders, supervising the ceasefire agreement, reporting violations, preventing any kind of escalations,&quot; Naim stated.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nHowever, he drew a clear line against any foreign military presence or operations within the territory, adding that &quot;we don&rsquo;t accept that these forces have any kind of mandates authorizing them to operate inside the Palestinian territories.&quot;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIn a sign of political progress toward post-ceasefire governance, Naim noted that Hamas and the Palestinian Authority have advanced discussions on forming a new technocratic committee to manage Gaza&rsquo;s daily affairs.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nHe said they have agreed upon a Palestinian Cabinet minister who lives in the West Bank but is originally from Gaza to head the committee.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&lsquo;History didn&rsquo;t start on Oct. 7&rsquo;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAsked whether the group regrets carrying out the Al-Aqsa Flood operation, Naim described it as a direct consequence of decades of Israeli policy dating back to the Nakba surrounding the regime&rsquo;s establishment in 1948.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&quot;History didn&rsquo;t start on Oct. 7,&quot; he said, adding that the attack was a necessary response to years of occupation and aggression.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&quot;Oct. 7 for us was an act of defense. We have done our duty to raise the voice of our people.&quot;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nHamas says its historic Al-Aqsa Flood operation was intended to lift the crippling 17-year siege on Gaza, protect the sanctity of the Al-Aqsa Mosque from repeated settler incursions, and challenge normalization of occupation policies, including daily raids into Palestinian cities and the continued administrative detention of thousands of Palestinians.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nFor the Palestinians, the operation was a dramatic attempt to break the status quo, reminding the international community of the urgent need for justice and the end of the apartheid system governing Palestinian life.","content_html":"<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size:16px;\">Bassem Naim, a member of Hamas&rsquo; political bureau, speaking in an interview with the Associated Press in the Qatari capital Doha, emphasized that &quot;We are open to a comprehensive approach in order to avoid further escalations or any further clashes or explosions.&rdquo;<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size:16px;\">While insisting that Hamas retains its &quot;right to resist,&quot; Naim stressed the group&rsquo;s openness regarding the fate of its weapons as part of a lasting solution leading to the establishment of a Palestinian state.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size:16px;\">&quot;This time has to be used seriously and in a comprehensive way,&quot; he said, adding that Hamas is &quot;very open-minded&quot; about what to do with its arms.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size:16px;\">&quot;We can talk about freezing or storing or laying down, with the Palestinian guarantees, not to use it at all during this ceasefire time or truce.&quot;<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size:16px;\">The Gaza truce, in effect since October 10, has slowed down the US-Israeli genocide inside the strip, which has so far killed over 70,000 civilians and injured many more.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size:16px;\">Under the terms of the ceasefire, Palestinian resistance committed to releasing the remaining 47 living and dead captives seized in the Al-Aqsa Flood operation.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size:16px;\">All of the captives have so far been released except for the body of an Israeli police officer.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size:16px;\">Benjamin Netanyahu, the regime&rsquo;s prime minister, wanted by the International Criminal Court for a Gaza war crimes probe, announced Sunday he expected the second phase of the ceasefire plan to begin soon.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size:16px;\">Netanyahu said they seek to &ldquo;achieve the disarmament of Hamas and the demilitarization of Gaza&rdquo; during the second-phase talks.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size:16px;\">Israel and its Western backers have consistently demanded the complete disarmament of Hamas and other resistance groups as a core condition for any lasting ceasefire.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size:16px;\">But Palestinians have rejected this, arguing that they have a fundamental right to armed resistance against military occupation, a right enshrined under international law.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size:16px;\">They say surrendering their weapons without the simultaneous establishment of a sovereign Palestinian state, with full withdrawal from all occupied territories, is equivalent to signing a surrender document that guarantees their subjugation.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size:16px;\">&lsquo;International force welcome&rsquo;<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size:16px;\">The second stage of the Gaza truce plan involves further withdrawal of Israeli forces as a transitional authority is established, alongside the deployment of an international stabilization force.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size:16px;\">The Hamas official outlined the group&rsquo;s expectations for the agreement, welcoming the creation of an international force for supervision near the borders.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size:16px;\">&quot;We are welcoming a UN force to be near the borders, supervising the ceasefire agreement, reporting violations, preventing any kind of escalations,&quot; Naim stated.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size:16px;\">However, he drew a clear line against any foreign military presence or operations within the territory, adding that &quot;we don&rsquo;t accept that these forces have any kind of mandates authorizing them to operate inside the Palestinian territories.&quot;<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size:16px;\">In a sign of political progress toward post-ceasefire governance, Naim noted that Hamas and the Palestinian Authority have advanced discussions on forming a new technocratic committee to manage Gaza&rsquo;s daily affairs.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size:16px;\">He said they have agreed upon a Palestinian Cabinet minister who lives in the West Bank but is originally from Gaza to head the committee.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size:16px;\">&lsquo;History didn&rsquo;t start on Oct. 7&rsquo;<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size:16px;\">Asked whether the group regrets carrying out the Al-Aqsa Flood operation, Naim described it as a direct consequence of decades of Israeli policy dating back to the Nakba surrounding the regime&rsquo;s establishment in 1948.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size:16px;\">&quot;History didn&rsquo;t start on Oct. 7,&quot; he said, adding that the attack was a necessary response to years of occupation and aggression.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size:16px;\">&quot;Oct. 7 for us was an act of defense. We have done our duty to raise the voice of our people.&quot;<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size:16px;\">Hamas says its historic Al-Aqsa Flood operation was intended to lift the crippling 17-year siege on Gaza, protect the sanctity of the Al-Aqsa Mosque from repeated settler incursions, and challenge normalization of occupation policies, including daily raids into Palestinian cities and the continued administrative detention of thousands of Palestinians.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size:16px;\">For the Palestinians, the operation was a dramatic attempt to break the status quo, reminding the international community of the urgent need for justice and the end of the apartheid system governing Palestinian life.<\/span><\/p>","content_source":"","content_url":"","content_date_start":"2025-12-08 09:53:07","content_date_event":"2025-12-08 09:53:07","content_date_event_start":null,"content_date_event_end":null,"content_show_title_slider":1,"content_date_last_edit":"2025-12-08 09:56:31","content_date_register":"2025-12-08 09:56:31","content_columns":0,"content_show_img":1,"content_show_details":0,"content_show_related_img":0,"content_show_slider":1,"content_comment":1,"content_score":0,"tag_id":0,"score_average":null,"score_count":null,"score_date_last":null,"uid":43,"eid":0,"attach_title":"‘History didn’t start on Oct. 7’:\r\n\r\nHamas defends Al-Aqsa Storm, says open to comprehensive ceasefire talks","attaches":[{"sizes":{"150":".\/cache\/2\/attach\/202512\/562811_2174101998_150_84.webp","300":".\/cache\/2\/attach\/202512\/562811_2174101998_300_169.webp","400":".\/cache\/2\/attach\/202512\/562811_2174101998_400_225.webp","600":".\/cache\/2\/attach\/202512\/562811_2174101998_600_337.webp","900":".\/cache\/2\/attach\/202512\/562811_2174101998_900_506.webp","1200":".\/cache\/2\/attach\/202512\/562811_2174101998_1000_562.jpg"},"ext":"jpg","file_media":1,"token":2174101998,"files":{"original":{"url":".\/file\/2\/attach\/202512\/562811_2174101998.jpg","width":1000,"height":562,"size":0}}}]}]]