US: Hamas’ response to Benjamin Netanyahu

Hamas said it watched Prime Minister Netanyahu’s speech to the Knesset. It prepared a ten-point position in response to Benjamin Netanyahu.

These positions echo points from Netanyahu’s speech, in which he spoke of ethnic cleansing and genocide while referring to the Israeli prime minister himself as a “war criminal.”

Hamas supported Netanyahu’s emotional speech while accusing the IDF of mass killings of civilians.

Palestinian-American Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib did not boycott the speech but quietly protested.

“Netanyahu should be arrested as a war criminal”

Hamas initially said that “Netanyahu should be arrested as a war criminal and handed over to the International Criminal Court” and argued that his speech was an attempt to polish his image by “covering up mass murder and ethnic cleansing in the Gaza Strip”. He went on to speak of “flagrant violations of all international law and humanitarian treaties designed to protect civilians” while rebuking him for using fake news (alluding to reports of burned babies and other reports).

He accused Netanyahu of “pushing for an imaginary victory by releasing some prisoners, forgetting the horrific massacres of civilians he committed in Rafah and Nusseraat during the releases.” Talk of stepping up efforts to repatriate hostages “He has obstructed all efforts to end the war and reach a deal to release the prisoners, despite the efforts of Egyptian and Qatari mediators.”

The statement also pointed out that reports from international organizations accused Israel of using starvation as a weapon to “kill many humanitarian workers.” They then accused the United States of supporting Israel politically and militarily and allowing Congress to “wash the blood of innocent children from the hands of fascist war criminals,” calling it “a complete accomplice to genocide.”

Sarah Netanyahu greets the hostage’s mother.

Only the Palestinian people have the right to determine their own destiny

Hamas stated that “the war criminal Netanyahu’s vision for the future of the Gaza Strip is just a fantasy and illusion that he is trying to peddle. Only the Palestinian people have the right to determine their own destiny and decide who will rule them.” He analyzed the verbal attack on the “resistance axis” as a security crisis and a military crisis.

Shortly before the meeting ended, Hamas called on “the United Nations, the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to take a stand, reject the occupation and work for its ends by all means, supporting the stability of the Palestinian people and its resistance until our people can exercise their right to return and self-determination in accordance with international law.”

Hamas concluded its statement by praising “the patient and resolute Palestinian people and their heroic and courageous resistance, who are facing a brutal war that is the result of the occupation forces’ failed attempts to annihilate them for 76 years.”