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Top Hamas official in Lebanon, Osama Hamdan, held a press conference in Beirut. (Photo: video grab)

By Palestine Chronicle Staff  

In a comprehensive message at a Beirut press conference, Osama Hamdan addressed the issues of truce talks, starvation and rape by Israeli soldiers in Gaza. 

Top Hamas official, Osama Hamdan said during a press conference in Beirut on Friday that the starvation underway in Gaza is a result of a direct order by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.

He said that the US administration and President Joe Biden personally, along with other countries, bear full responsibility for the Israeli massacres committed daily against the people of Gaza. 

Hamdan called on the World Food Program and all UN institutions, including the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), not to submit to the will of Israel and to return to work in the northern Gaza Strip immediately.

Below are excerpts from Hamdan’s press conference. The statements below were communicated via the Resistance News Network Telegram channels and are published here in their original form.

There Will Be Accountability 

“140 days and the Nazi occupation continues its genocide and ethnic cleansing, practicing all forms of starvation, thirst, massacres, and horrifying slaughters against over two million Palestinian citizens in Gaza Strip, amidst international neglect, inaction, and silence, failing to stop this genocide or halt the Zionist criminal actions destroying all aspects of human life in the Strip.

“All participants and supporters of this aggressive war, which is modern history has never witnessed in its brutality, sadism, and destruction of human life—especially the American administration and President Biden personally—bear full responsibility along with the occupation government for the massacres and genocide committed daily against our people.

“This barbaric war will remain a stain of disgrace on all participants, bystanders, and the negligent, who will not be exempt from accountability and punishment, no matter how long it takes.”

Saluting Our People 

“We address with all meanings of pride and honor our great people in the Gaza Strip, in all its spectra and components, who with their steadfastness, resilience, and patience above wounds and pain, and their great sacrifices, are writing the most magnificent legendary epic in the history of our fighting people, painting daily with their pure blood and wounds, patience and steadfastness, the title of imminent salvation and liberation from the occupation, Allah willing.

“We send a salute of pride and honor to those valiant men, the brave heroes, the mighty ones, from the victorious Martyr Izz El-Din Al-Qassam Brigades and the fighting Saraya al-Quds, and all the heroes of the Palestinian resistance, who with faith, determination, will, and unwavering resolve, defend the land of Palestine, its Quds, its prisoners, and its path (Al-Aqsa), continuing the Al-Aqsa Flood with wisdom, strength, and competence, inflicting heavy losses on the enemy’s soldiers and officers, and every day their resolve strengthens to repel the Nazi occupation from our land, by the will of Allah and with His support.”

Starvation and Suspension of Aid

“The declared war of starvation against our Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip continues, especially in the northern governorate of the Strip, where people can’t find enough to feed their children, resorting to using animal feed, if available, to grind and bake it.

“It is a declared war of starvation, initiated by a clear decision from the prime minister of the Zionist entity, Netanyahu, and the Zionist occupation army’s minister, Gallant, who on October 9th of last year—in audio and video—decided to prevent the entry of water, food, and fuel to the residents of the Gaza Strip, a blatant war crime that the world remained silent about, even after the International Court of Justice considered this decision indicative of the occupation army committing genocide in the Strip.

“We are ringing the alarm bell… Our people face death by starvation through the occupation’s deliberate act of starving them with the intent to kill, bringing things to a level that threatens the lives of tens of thousands of our people.

“At a time when our people await the international community, the United Nations, and its institutions to rush in taking immediate steps to provide them with necessary aid and relief, lift the siege, and stop the massacre committed against them, we were surprised by the decision of the World Food Programme to suspend the delivery of food aid to the governorates of Gaza and the North, just three days after attempting to bring in very limited quantities, deepening the humanitarian crisis facing civilians.

“We call on the World Food Programme and all UN agencies, including UNRWA, not to submit to the will and measures imposed deliberately by the occupation, to announce the immediate resumption of operations in the north of the Gaza Strip, and to take serious and effective steps to relieve our people and address the expanding threat of famine, in commitment to their legal and humanitarian responsibilities.”

Al-Aqsa Restrictions 

“Let our enemy know that souls are boiling and rage is coming… An explosion is coming in response to any restrictions on Muslims entering the Al-Aqsa Mosque during Ramadan.

“We call upon our Palestinian people in the occupied interior, Al-Quds, and the West Bank, to reject this criminal decision, escalate the confrontation with the occupation everywhere, mobilize and make their way to the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque and station there, protecting it from the defilement of the invading settlers, and to foil all fascist plans targeting the Holy Sanctuary (Al-Aqsa Mosque) and the sacred city (Al-Quds). Let this Zionist criminal enemy know that any harm to Al-Aqsa Mosque, or freedom of worship there or access to it, will not pass without accountability, no matter the costs and sacrifices.

“We renew our call to our nation that defending the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque is a defense of the nation’s honor and dignity, a defense of the Holy Kaaba, the Prophet’s Mosque, and all sanctities, and of the Arab and Islamic countries. Hesitation in defending Al-Aqsa, or in paying the price and making sacrifices for this cause, will not be capable or proactive in defending the dignity of Muslims, their countries, and their sanctities.”

On Truce Negotiations 

“Netanyahu’s terrorist government, which sees prolonging the duration of the war as a primary goal to escape the post-aggression obligations, still adopts a obstinate stance against the just demands presented by Hamas and the Palestinian resistance factions, most notably stopping the aggression, returning and sheltering the displaced, and lifting the siege to rebuild what the Zionist aggression destroyed.

“The movement has positively engaged with proposals and initiatives from mediators, based on its clear priorities to stop the aggression on our people in the Gaza Strip, end their humanitarian suffering caused by the Zionist killing and destruction machine, freedom of movement for our people and their return to their homes and areas in the north of the Strip and in all its areas, and the need for urgent relief, shelter, and commencement of reconstruction.

“The occupation’s stance and responses to mediators are negative, placing numerous obstacles in the way of reaching an agreement. Netanyahu procrastinates and evades, aiming to hinder the achievement of an agreement, showing no concern for the release of prisoners held by the resistance, using them instead as a means to achieve his goals.

“Netanyahu imposes on his delegation four ‘no’s for any upcoming negotiations: no cessation of aggression, no withdrawal from the Strip, no return of the displaced to the north, and no real prisoner exchange deal.

“The personal and specific objectives of Benjamin Netanyahu, supported by a group of extremist settlers who form the backbone of his fascist government, clash with all proposed initiatives and stances, which calls for a correct diagnosis of the current situation by the international community and concerned countries.

“The insistence of Netanyahu’s government to continue the genocide against civilians in the Gaza Strip, indifferent even to the killing of more prisoners held by the resistance under the brutal Zionist bombardment, cannot be stopped by mere ideas and initiatives. Rather, it requires firm stances and practical measures to end the aggression and respond to our people’s rights, leading to the end of the occupation.

“It has become clear that the victory Netanyahu fantasizes about for himself and his audience is but an illusion and a mirage, a pipe dream. Netanyahu lies to everyone, deceiving the families of the prisoners by claiming the possibility of their forceful liberation, knowing well that this is as hopeful as the devil’s wish to enter heaven.

“We reaffirm that what this fascist army has failed to achieve, whether the elimination of the resistance or the forceful recovery of its captives in Gaza, will not succeed at any stage of this brutal war. The Palestinian resistance, spearheaded by  Al-Qassam Brigades, continues to confront the aggression until it is broken and repelled from our land and people.”

On Rape Allegations 

“In a report issued by human rights experts from the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, it was confirmed that Palestinian women and girls have been systematically assaulted by the occupation army since the beginning of the Zionist aggression on our people in Gaza and the occupied West Bank starting October 7.

“The report highlighted a long series of these assaults and violations, such as arbitrary executions along with their families and children, killings despite white flags being raised, arbitrary detention, inhumane treatment of women, and sexual assault like stripping of clothes and body searches by male officers of the occupation army.

“The report also confirmed instances of rape and threats of rape, filming of female detainees in humiliating conditions by the Zionist army and publishing them on the internet, kidnapping of children and women by the occupation army (including a baby girl and forcibly transferring them into the entity, and separating children from their parents with their whereabouts still unknown.

“We call for a rapid, independent, impartial, and comprehensive international investigation into these grave crimes in accordance with international criminal law, and for the prosecution of the Zionist entity and its leadership under international criminal law, pursuant to the Rome Statute.

“We address the world that loudly cried over the lies claimed by Netanyahu, echoed like parrots by Biden and Blinken, about the rape of Israeli women on October 7th. Where are these voices now? And where are these institutions? Or does the assault on Palestinian women mean nothing to them? Or do they ignore a report issued by a UN-affiliated international institution, preferring to chase after the dark, false propaganda spread by Netanyahu and the Zionist entity?

“The United States’ use of the veto to block a UN Security Council resolution confirms the complete partnership of the United States and President Biden’s administration in the genocide war waged by the terrorist occupation entity against unarmed civilians in the Gaza Strip, and their absolute support for all crimes and massacres and blatant violations of international laws, by obstructing any attempt to stop the aggression, effectively giving a clear American green light for the Zionist enemy to continue its crimes.

“The ongoing starvation war, continuous massacres, and systematic destruction of all aspects of life in the Gaza Strip would not have continued without the support of this criminal (American) administration, whose hands are stained with the blood of our children, women, and elders, and which bears full responsibility for their innocent blood shed by a war machine fully funded by Washington, in addition to a direct and declared field partnership.” 

Thank you, Brazil, China et al. 

“We appreciate the clear and humane positions of the Brazilian President Lula da Silva, who affirmed that what is happening in Gaza is a genocide, and that what the Zionist occupation army is doing today in Gaza is the same as what Nazi Hitler did to the Jews during World War II.

“While we condemn the frenzied Zionist campaign against President da Silva, we salute the honorable positions of the presidents of Venezuela, Bolivia, Cuba, and Colombia, who expressed their support for President da Silva’s stance and confirmed that what is happening in the Gaza Strip is a genocide in the Nazi manner. We demand that all countries work to expose this brutal occupation, denounce it, boycott it, and support the resistance and struggle of our Palestinian people to regain their freedom.

“We appreciate the positions of the countries that participated in the public hearings held by the International Court of Justice regarding the legal consequences of the occupation’s policies in Palestinian lands, which confirmed the extensive violations of international law perpetrated by the terrorist occupation entity against the Palestinian people and their occupied land.

“We also appreciate the stance expressed by the People’s Republic of China, affirming the legality of occupied peoples’ right to self-determination, by all means, including armed resistance, and the necessity to distinguish between terrorism and the armed struggle waged by the Palestinian people against the Zionist occupation.

“We call upon Arab and Islamic populations and the free people of the world to continue their public movements to condemn the occupation, pressure for the cessation of Zionist aggression on the Gaza Strip, and support and endorse our people’s right to liberation and self-determination.

“We also urge our (Arab and Islamic) nation, both leaders and peoples, and all the free in the world, to mobilize all energies and take serious action to support Al-Quds and Al-Aqsa, stop the aggression on the Gaza Strip, and provide relief to our people in Gaza.

“We pray for mercy for the caravans of our people’s and nation’s martyrs, ask God Almighty for the swift healing of the wounded and the sick, freedom for the prisoners, and a clear victory for our people and our resistance.” 

(The Palestine Chronicle)

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