Senior Hamas figures have denied that their organization murdered civilians in Israel, insisting that only conscripts were the targets of their attacks.
“Women, children, and civilians were exempt” from Hamas’s attacks, Moussa Abu Marzouk told the BBC.
The abundance of evidence showing Hamas members shooting defenseless adults and children sharply contradicts his statements.
Video captured by Hamas body cameras and firsthand accounts provided to global news networks constitute the proof.
Israel claims that during the October 7 attacks, Hamas killed over 1,400 individuals, the majority of them were civilians.
The deputy political leader of the group, Mr. Marzouk, was interviewed in the Gulf on Saturday. He is the subject of an asset freeze in the UK due to counterterrorism rules. Since the horrors of October 7, he is the highest senior member to address the BBC.
Mr. Marzouk was challenged by the BBC about the conflict in Gaza, particularly the large number of hostages that are being kept there.
In response, he said that since Israel was bombarding Gaza, they could not be let free. Since Israel began operations last month, 10,000 Palestinians have died, according to the health ministry operated by Hamas.
We’re going to let them go. However, the fighting must end,” he uttered.
Recently, Mr. Marzouk visited Moscow to talk about the eight dual citizens of Russia and Israel who were abducted on October 7th by Hamas, a terrorist organization outlawed in numerous nations, including the US and the UK.
He claimed that despite being unable to free them due to the fighting, Hamas fighters in Gaza had “looked for and found two female hostages” from Russia.
In his words, “the Israelis stop the fighting so we can hand them over to the Red Cross” was the only way they could possibly release the hostages.
When questioned by the BBC after the October 7th incident, Mr. Marzouk asserted that the military wing commander of Hamas, Mohamed el-Deif, had given his forces the order to spare people.
“El-Deif clearly told his fighters ‘don’t kill a woman, don’t kill a child and don’t kill an old man’,” he stated.
He claimed that soldiers in the reserve were “targeted”. According to his argument, only “conscripts […] or soldiers” perished.
However, he added that civilians, women, and children were “exempt”.
However, a substantial amount of information has been acquired that shows the variety of violent crimes carried out by Hamas in Israel on October 7.
When BBC journalists arrived at the area immediately after the attacks, they saw the bodies of murdered civilians.
Additionally, we have examined CCTV evidence that shows Hamas shootings. Separately, the Israeli government has handed the BBC and other journalists footage captured by Hamas body cameras.
Additional global news outlets have also assembled and authenticated proof of the events that transpired that day.
The leader, whose cool, collected demeanor during the interview occasionally gave way to annoyance, was pressed on this point by the BBC, but he chose not to respond immediately.
The deputy leader of Hamas responded that the armed wing “don’t have to consult with the political leadership” when asked if the political wing had been informed about the attack’s planning. It’s not necessary.”
The political wing, situated in Qatar, frequently portrays itself as being apart from the Gaza military.
The UK government, which declared that “the approach of distinguishing between the various parts of Hamas is artificial,” does not recognize any distinction and in 2021 outlawed the political branch of Hamas as a terrorist organization. Hamas is a single terrorist organization that is sophisticated.”
In addition, the US Treasury Department has labeled Mr. Marzouk as a specially designated global terrorist, and he faces many accusations of organizing and providing funding for Hamas.