Lebanese Pro-Federalism Activist Alfred Riachi: Prior To October 7, The Standard Of Living In Gaza Was Pretty Reasonable; Hamas Isn't That Much Better Than ISIS

Lebanese lobbyist Alfred Riachi, secretary-general of the Continual Federal Congress, discussed in a February 12, 2024 interview on OTV [Lebanon] the ramifications of Hamas’s October 7 attack. He said that prior to October 7, the standard of living in Gaza "seemed very reasonable." Riachi said that Hamas does not believe in pluralism and coexistence and that it is not that much better than ISIS. He stated that Israel has never attacked Lebanon unprovoked.

Alfred Riachi: "The State of Israel, which you refer to as 'Satan', has never initiated an attack against Lebanon, without us giving it a pretext first.

[...]

"What Hamas did... They entered Israel and killed 1,200 people. What did they gain from this? Did they expect Israel to welcome them with rice and flowers?"

Interviewer: "Hold on a minute. You make it sound as if Israel was peaceful, and out of nowhere Hamas entered, and how terrible what they did these innocent Israelis... These people were being killed, under siege, without water, medicine, or food for years and years. They were living in a big prison, on their own land."

Riachi: " I don't know... I watched many shows [about Gaza], and the standard living there seemed very reasonable.

[...]

"I view Hamas as an organization with religious ideology of exclusion. They do not believe in pluralism and in co-existing with the other. Regardless, of whether their cause is justified or not, for me Hamas is not much better than ISIS."