Hamas Issues Document Revealing Why It Carried Out Al-Aqsa Flood Operation
Al-Aqsa Flood, October 7,
2023
On January 21, the resistance movement Hamas issued a document giving the reasons for its Al-Aqsa Flood Operation. The first section is entirely dedicated to the reasons behind the operation. The document details how for "long decades, the Palestinian people suffered all forms of oppression, injustice, expropriation of their fundamental rights and the apartheid policies." It says: "After 75 years of relentless occupation and suffering, and after failing all initiatives for liberation and return to our people, and also after the disastrous results of the so-called peace process, what did the world expect the Palestinian people to do?"
The second section discusses events of October 7 and responds to the Israeli allegations. It clearly states: "Operation Al-Aqsa Flood on October 7 targeted the Israeli military sites, and sought to arrest the enemy’s soldiers to [put] pressure on the Israeli authorities to release the thousands of Palestinians held in Israeli jails through a prisoners exchange deal. Therefore, the operation focused on destroying the Israeli army's Gaza Division, the Israeli military sites stationed near the Israeli settlements around Gaza."
It furthermore points out that Hamas forces are committed to avoiding harm to civilians if at all possible and rejects Israeli allegations of indiscriminate killing of civilians, mass rape, beheading of children etc. and cites Israeli media sources' confirmation that Israeli armed forces, using tanks and attack helicopters were responsible for most of the deaths on October 7.
Section 3 is entitled Towards a Transparent International Investigation. It rejects the false narrative of the U.S., Canada, the UK, Germany and others and calls for a truly transparent international investigation.
In the fourth section, entitled Who Is Hamas, the organization describes itself as a "national liberation movement that has clear goals and mission" and "gets its legitimacy to resist the occupation from the Palestinian right to self-defence, liberation and self-determination."
"Our steadfast Palestinian people and their resistance are waging a heroic battle to defend their land and national rights against the longest and most brutal colonial occupation. The Palestinian people are confronting an unprecedented Israeli aggression that committed heinous massacres against Palestinian civilians, most of them children and women."
The fifth section sets out eight demands:
1) an immediate halt of Israeli aggression and crimes and ethnic cleansing being carried out against the entire population of Gaza;
2) that the international community hold Israel legally accountable;
3) recognition of Palestinian resistance as a legitimate right in international law;
4) for a global solidarity movement with the Palestinian people;
5) that the U.S., UK, France and other "superpowers" stop providing Israel with a cover from accountability;
6) rejection of any Israeli or international project aimed at deciding the future of Gaza or the Palestinian people. Palestinians have the right and capacity to decide their own future, it says;
7) rejection of any new mass expulsion or Nakba;
8) for continuing popular pressure worldwide for ending the occupation.
TML recommends the full document be read. It is available here.
This article was published in
Volume 54
Number 8 - January 31, 2024
Article Link:
https://cpcml.ca/Tmlm2024/Articles/MS54088.HTM
Website: www.cpcml.ca Email: editor@cpcml.ca