Sinwar delivers 1st public message since October
This statement is also the first since Sinwar took over the leadership of Hamas's political office, replacing Ismail Haniyeh, who was eliminated at the end of July in Tehran
Hamas has released an unusual statement on Wednesday attributed to Yahya Sinwar, the leader of the terrorist group in the Gaza Strip, congratulating Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune on his controversial re-election.
According to the statement, Sinwar "congratulates President Abdelmadjid Tebboune on the renewed trust of the Algerian people in him as President of Algeria." Sinwar highlighted "Tebboune's support for the Palestinians" and expressed his congratulations in the context of what Hamas calls the "Al-Aqsa flood," referring to the deadly attack on October 7, 2023 against Israel.
"Sinwar reiterates his appreciation of the Algerian role in supporting the Palestinian people and defending their rights in international forums," the Hamas statement said. This mention of the October 7 attack in a diplomatic message reflects Hamas' desire to keep this feat of arms at the heart of its discourse, despite the heavy consequences for the Gazan population.
Since the beginning of the war, Sinwar has made only one official statement in October 2023, where he proposed an "immediate release of prisoners" in exchange for all Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails. Israeli intelligence services believe he is currently hiding in the tunnels under Gaza, thus escaping targeted strikes.
This statement is also the first since Sinwar took over the leadership of Hamas' political bureau, replacing Ismail Haniyeh, who was eliminated at the end of July under still unclear circumstances.