Billionaire Hamas boss’s chilling confession after 15 months of bloodshed

A senior Hamas official has admitted that he regrets the  October 7 terrorist assault on Israel in 2023 and wouldn’t have supported it if he’d identified how a lot destruction it could deliver to Gaza.

Mousa Abu Marzouk, head of Hamas’s overseas relations workplace in Qatar, is the primary Hamas official to publicly condemn the assault, which noticed greater than 1,000 Israelis killed and 251 taken as hostages. In response, Israel launched a full-scale navy marketing campaign towards the terrorist group, which has resulted within the deaths of greater than 48,000 Palestinians.

Almost 70% of buildings throughout Gaza have additionally been broken or destroyed, the United Nations estimates, as greater than two million Palestinian refugees battle to endure the continued humanitarian disaster.

Marzouk, who reportedly has an estimated fortune of $2billion, stated that if he’d identified that the October 7 assault would result in such widespread devastation in Gaza, it could have been “inconceivable” for him to assist it.

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“If it was anticipated that what occurred would occur, there wouldn’t have been Oct. 7,” Marzouk instructed the New York Occasions.

The 74-year-old claimed that he was not knowledgeable in regards to the particular plans for the October 7 assault however admitted that he endorsed a navy assault towards Israel alongside different Hamas leaders. Marzouk additionally recommended that Hamas could be open to discussions about giving up their weapons to barter a peace deal.

“We’re prepared to discuss each difficulty. Any difficulty that’s placed on the desk, we have to talk about it,” he stated. He stated that Hamas could be keen to launch the entire remaining Israeli hostages without delay if Israel agreed to free hundreds of Palestinians in its prisons and finish the battle. “We’re able to have a complete deal,” he added.

However Marzouk’s feedback have been condemned by Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem, who claims his remarks have been taken out of context. “We maintain onto our resistance weapon as a legit proper, and what was attributed to Moussa Abu Marzouk doesn’t signify the motion’s stance,” Qassem stated in a press release.

“The occupation’s aggressive and harmful habits is the reason for the destruction in Gaza,” he added. “The Oct. 7 epic marks a strategic turning level within the Palestinian nationwide battle.”

Marzouk’s feedback come as the primary part of the delicate ceasefire settlement, which paused 15 months of brutal warfare between Israel and Hamas militants, approaches an finish.

The ceasefire is about to finish on Saturday and it’s unclear what comes subsequent. The 2 sides have been supposed to start negotiating a second part weeks in the past wherein Hamas would launch the entire remaining hostages in trade for extra Palestinian prisoners, an enduring ceasefire, and a full Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip.

However these negotiations haven’t begun. There have solely been preparatory talks, and each side have accused one another of violating the primary part.

Donald Trump’s Center East envoy Steve Witkoff is scheduled to go to the area this week. “We have now to get an extension of part one. I will be going to the area this week, most likely Wednesday, to barter that and we’re hopeful that we’ve got the correct time to start part two and end it off and get extra hostages launched,” he stated.