Senior Hamas Official Osama Hamdan: The Goal Of October 7 Was To Bring International Attention To The Palestinian Cause, Expose The Savage And Nazi Israeli Occupation

Osama Hamdan, a member of the Hamas political bureau, said in a December 25, 2023, interview with TRT Network (Turkey) that Hamas was successful in achieving the goals of the October 7 attack. He said that the purpose of the attack was to bring international attention to the Palestinian cause and that the attack "showed everyone the clear and right face of Israel as not only a savage occupation, but also a Nazi occupation." In response to the question whether Hamas anticipated the consequences of the October 7 attack, Hamdan said that Palestinians are killed by Israel regardless of whether they resist, so they may as well be killed while resisting and "this will make the international community move forward." He continued to say that the international community should not blame the "victim for trying to protect itself," but it should talk about Israel's brutality. The interviewer asked whether Israel's offer to stop the attacks on Gaza if the hostages taken on October 7 are released is acceptable to Hamas. Hamdan replied that this was a "minor issue," compared to the "main issue" of bringing an end to the occupation.

Interviewer: "Can we go back to October 7? Can you explain why Hamas attacked Israel on that day?"

Osama Hamdan: "That military operation was supposed—and it did that—to bring back the Palestinian cause as a liberation freedom cause for the people of Palestine against the occupation. Everyone realizes this now, regardless of the Israeli reaction. Everyone is talking now about the Palestinian cause. It shows everyone the clear and right face of Israel as not only a savage occupation, but also a Nazi occupation. It reminds everyone of what had happened in the last century during the period of the Nazis in Europe."

Interviewer: "If that was indeed Hamas's aim to bring the Palestinian cause right to the forefront of international dialogue—you are correct, it succeeded. Did you foresee the consequences of what happened on October 7? Did you foresee the consequences of what happened on October 7, when Hamas entered Israeli territory? Did you think what is happening now would be Israel's response, to this degree?"

Hamdan: "You have two options—either you can do nothing, and you will be killed by the Israelis, or to resist and they will kill you at the same time, but you will also resist them, and you will show everyone that this cause is a real cause. It belongs to a nation called the Palestinian people, and this land is a Palestinian land occupied by the Israelis, and this will make the international community move forward. You have to start blaming the Israelis. You have to start talking about how the Israelis are killing the Palestinian civilians. Instead of blaming the Palestinians for trying to defend themselves, start talking about how the Israelis are a very savage and Nazi occupation instead of just blaming the victim for trying to protect itself, for trying to protect your own people and your own cause."

Interviewer: "The Israelis say that there is a way for those attack to end—that all hostages being kept inside Gaza, who were taken on October 7 should be released. Is that not acceptable to you? Because that—the Israelis say—would stop the attacks."

Hamdan: "It is a minor issue of course compared to the main issue. The main issue is how we can make an end to the occupation."