Al-Jazeera TV Host Mostafa Ashoor Cuts Short Egyptian Caller Who Said Hamas's Conduct Has Been Dishonorable And That Hamas Shares The Blame For The New Gaza 'Nakba'

Al-Jazeera Network (Qatar) TV show host Mostafa Ashoor cut short Saad, a caller to the show from Egypt, on a November 24, 2023 broadcast, because he criticized Hamas. Saad said that the Gaza Strip was completely destroyed in a worse "nakba" than that of 1948 or 1967. He continued to say that both Hamas and Israel are responsible for the destruction, because Hamas had started the war, invading Israel on October 7 and causing destruction and killing. Saad added that Hamas did not just kill Israelis, it killed Palestinians too. He continued to say that Hamas turned against their own brothers in the Palestinian Authority after the 2007 elections and that Palestinians should liberate their land in an "honorable way," and he added: "There is a difference between honorable resistance and terrorist organizations." Ashoor cut off Saad, and said that what he is saying is "unacceptable," that the Palestinian resistance is honorable, and that the whole world has said that the resistance has the right to defend its land and liberate it.

Egyptian caller, Saad: "In my opinion, the only reason for the Nakba that occurred..."

Mostafa Ashoor: "What Nakba? What Nakba? The Nakba of 1948?"

Saad: "No, my dear. The Nakba of 1948 was a small thing..."

Ashoor: "So what Nakba?"

Saad: "The Nakba we are going through.

[...]

"I am talking about the complete destruction of the city and of the Gaza Strip, and about people who are dead. Even the people of Gaza themselves said on your channel that they have not witnessed anything like that before – not in 1948, not in 1967, or anytime else. This is a Nakba in the full sense of the word. The Gaza Strip is completely destroyed.

[...]

Ashoor: "The world is watching the bodies that were buried..."

Saad: "I would like to complete my idea..."

Ashoor: "Isn't your idea that what the occupation authorities are doing is a crime, or do you have some other idea?"

Saad: "This a crime by both sides..."

Ashoor: "Hold on a second. You said 'both sides'. What sides?

Saad: "Hamas and Israel. Hamas started this war. It invaded (Israel) on October 7, destroyed and killed. Am I right, or not?

Ashoor: "Hold on. Don't ask me questions. You can say what you want and I will just moderate the debate."

Saad: "Right. So all I am saying is that Hamas, on October 7..."

Ashoor: "So all the Nakba you are talking about... So what you are saying is that Hamas, which defended its land and its honor..."

Saad: "Okay, but Hamas did not kill just Israelis. It killed the Palestinians."

[...]

Ashoor: "Israel has besieged Gaza for 18 years. It should let the people 02:27 live and breathe. What do you think?"

Saad: "I think the same as you, but Hamas itself did not let the people live..."

Ashoor: "Forget about Hamas. I'm talking in absolute terms."

Saad: "Let's go back to 2007. What did Hamas do then? They turned against their own Palestinian brothers in the Palestinian Authority."

Ashoor: "You shouldn't talk like that when (Mahmoud Abbas') advisor Abu Rudeineh said three days ago that no one should talk about internal Palestinian disputes. If the advisor to the Palestinian President said that the Palestinians are united and nobody should talk about internal disputes, why are you talking about this?

[...]

"Tell me what will make the occupation authorities get out of Palestine?"

Saad: "I will tell you. The only way..."

Ashoor: "What? I didn't hear."

Saad: "The only way is for them to liberate this land in an honorable way. There is a difference between honorable resistance and terrorist organizations."

Ashoor: "Okay, I won't let this continue. Look, Saad..."

Saad: "I just want to say something..."

Ashoor: "No, what you are saying is unacceptable. The Palestinian resistance is honorable. What you are saying is unacceptable. On this happy day, when the (Palestinian) female prisoners are released, I cannot complete this conversation with you unfortunately, because you said things that... No, your time is up.

"Mr. Saad, the resistance is honorable, and the whole world has said that the resistance has the right to defend its land, and to defend its honor until it liberates its land. Man, how can you come here and say that the resistance is not honorable. Shame on you, Saad. Shame on you for saying this."