Hamas Leader Praises October 7 Massacre, Calls Ceasefire Deal a "Historic Moment"

Khalil al-Hayya, a senior leader of Hamas, has stirred widespread outrage with his recent remarks praising the October 7 massacre as a significant achievement for the Palestinian cause. In a televised speech on Wednesday from Qatar, al-Hayya called the massacre, in which 1,200 Israelis were killed and 251 taken hostage, a "military accomplishment" that he claimed would be taught to future generations of Palestinians.

The October 7 attack, the deadliest single-day assault on Jews since the Holocaust, saw Palestinian terrorists carry out mass killings and abductions, including atrocities such as rape and torture. Al-Hayya characterized the event as a "source of pride" for Palestinians and emphasized that it would be passed down as a symbol of resistance against Israeli occupation.

Despite the ceasefire deal brokered between Israel and Hamas, al-Hayya reaffirmed that Hamas would continue to pursue the destruction of Israel, focusing on Jerusalem and the Al-Aqsa Mosque. He declared that the "occupation" would be expelled from Palestinian territories at the "earliest time possible" and vowed that Hamas would not show weakness.

Hamas’s Support from Allies

Al-Hayya also expressed support for other Iran-backed militant groups, including Hezbollah and the Houthis in Yemen, for launching solidarity attacks against Israel. He stated that Hamas would not forgive the suffering inflicted on Gaza during the war and vowed to remember the victims of the conflict.

The Hamas leader's statements came as the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Gaza’s second-largest terror group, praised the ceasefire agreement, calling it "honorable." The ceasefire deal, which aims to end 15 months of fighting, includes the gradual release of 94 hostages out of the 251 abducted on October 7. While Hamas had previously released 105 civilians during a temporary truce in late November, the agreement is now seen as a key step toward a more permanent cessation of hostilities.

However, the deal also involves significant prisoner exchanges, with Israel agreeing to release Palestinian prisoners, including those convicted of terrorism. The hostage situation remains dire, with Hamas continuing to hold two Israeli civilians who entered Gaza in 2014 and 2015, as well as the bodies of two Israeli soldiers killed in 2014.