Hamas says Israel’s threats to eliminate resistance empty

Osama Hamdan, who represents the movement in Lebanon, made the remarks while speaking to reporters at a press conference in Beirut on Saturday.

The regime launched its onslaught on the besieged Gaza Strip on October 7 following an operation by the territory’s resistance groups, called Operation al-Aqsa Storm.

Through its military aggression, the regime has been seeking to achieve such goals as eliminating Hamas, releasing its captives, and forcefully displacing the people of Gaza to neighboring Egypt.

“The Zionist terrorism will not break the will, steadfastness, and resistance of our people, nor will it succeed in achieving any of its aggressive goals,” Hamdan said, adding, “The Israeli threats to eliminate the resistance are empty” and only attest to the regime’s “bankruptcy.”

Hamdan added that Israel’s achievements in its war of genocide on Gaza were “nothing but terrorism; killing and massacring civilians, children, and women; and the destruction of all components of human life.”

The Palestinian Health Ministry reported in a Saturday statement that the total death toll from Israel’s brutal onslaught has reached 20,258, mostly women and children, with 53,688 people injured.

“Our people will remain resistant and steadfast in defense of their land and sanctities, and the [Israeli] invaders will [finally] leave our land, as we are owners of this land and the occupation will disappear soon, God willing,” Hamdan emphasized.

The Hamas’ official asserted that the people of Gaza will not be defeated and will not surrender, because they are determined to attain freedom and independence and emerge victorious.

“The Zionist occupation continues its genocidal war against our people in the Gaza Strip with American support and weapons, and through the international community’s silence and failure to stop it and prevent its continuation,” Hamdan noted.

Throughout the war, the United States has supplied the regime with more than 10,000 tons of military equipment. Washington has also slapped its veto against all the United Nations Security Council resolutions that called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.

Concluding his remarks, the Hamas’ official explained about a possible prisoner exchange deal with Israel.

“We reiterate that there will be no negotiations regarding prisoners of the occupation until after the aggression [totally] stops. If the enemy and its supporters want their prisoners alive, they must stop their criminal aggression against the Gaza Strip,” Hamdan said.

He stressed that the people of Gaza do not want a partial cessation of the regime’s attacks for a short period, “after which the [Israeli] aggression and terrorism will continue.”