Speaking at a televised speech broadcast on Thursday, Ismail Haniyeh also emphasized that Palestinian resistance groups in the Gaza Strip are fully prepared for a prolonged confrontation with the Israeli military.
“If the [Zionist] enemy desires a long battle, our capacity is much higher than its, and that our resistance fighters will act decisively in this regard. The resistance is engaged in a strategic conflict with the Zionist enemy, and will be the sole party emerging victorious out of the Gaza war,” he said.
Haniyeh also commended the resilience of Palestinians and the close coordination among resistance factions “to melt away the capabilities of the Israeli military and diminish it on multiple fronts.”
The Hamas leader highlighted the “victories achieved by resistance fighters [in battles against Israeli forces] in the Gaza Strip,” adding that “the heroes of the resistance are … delivering painful blows to the enemy’s forces and its armored vehicles.”
“The world will witness that members of al-Qassam Brigades and other resistance factions will finally defeat the Israeli Occupation in Gaza, as they did 18 years ago,” when all Israeli forces had to withdraw from the territory in 2005, he said.
“They will reap nothing but more failures, disappointment and defeat,” Haniyeh underscored.
He further noted that “the residents of Gaza and resistance groups have managed to thwart the Israeli enemy’s goals and plans for mass displacement of Gazans and forcible release of their captives.”
Elsewhere in his remarks, the Hamas leader called for the implementation of the resolutions issues at the recent extraordinary joint Islamic-Arab summit in the Saudi capital city of Riyadh, especially those concerning “the immediate stoppage of the Israeli aggression, removal of the siege on Gaza, protection of sanctities, and realization of our nation’s aspirations for freedom, return of refugees and independence.”
Haniyeh also stressed the need for an “emergency meeting of a committee comprised of several countries, and tasked with monitoring the implementation of the decisions taken at the summit.”
Israel has launched relentless air and ground attacks on the coastal territory, including hospitals, residences, and houses of worship, since Palestinian resistance movements launched their surprise attack, dubbed Operation al-Aqsa Storm, against the regime on October 7.
At least 11,500 Palestinians have been killed, including 4,710 children. More than 29,800 individuals have sustained injuries as well.
According to the Ministry of Health, 3,640 citizens are still missing or under the rubble, including 1,770 children.
RHM/Press TV