Hamas leader in Gaza says does not want war with Israel
Hamas’ leader in the Gaza Strip Yahya Sinwar, what appeared to be his first-ever interview with an Israeli news publication, called for a ceasefire with Israel saying that another war is not in the interest of his group nor the people of Gaza.
“It's in no one’s interest,” Sinwar said in excerpts of an interview published Thursday by the Israeli Yedioth Ahronoth daily. The interview was given to Italian journalist Francesca Borri, and was set to be published in full by both Yedioth and La Repubblica on Friday.
“We cannot prevail in a confrontation against a nuclear power,” Sinwar said. “And certainly [another conflict] is not in our interest. War gains nothing.”
“I am not saying I won’t fight anymore, I’m saying I don’t want more wars. I want the siege [on Gaza] to end,” he said, adding that he was first and foremost committed to protecting the “interests of my people...and their right to freedom and independence.”
Israel and Hamas have been brought to the brink of war on multiple occasions over the past few months, as weekly protests along the Gaza border have triggered frequent clashes and multiple rounds of rocket fire and retaliatory strikes between the two sides.
Attempts by Egypt to negotiate a long term ceasefire to end the violence and bring much-needed humanitarian relief to the people of Gaza recently lost momentum, with focus reportedly turning instead towards intra-Palestinian reconciliation.
Sinwar indicated that Hamas was still cooperating with ongoing Egyptian efforts to negotiate a long term truce with Israel to end the violence and bring much-needed relief to residents of the impoverished enclave.
But he rejected any share of responsibility for the humanitarian crisis in the Strip, saying that “the responsibility lies with those who have sealed the border, and not with those who tried to open it.”
“In the current situation, an explosion [of violence] is unavoidable,” Sinwar said.
Regarding a potential ceasefire agreement, Sinwar rejected Israel’s “calm in return for calm” terms, demanding instead an end to the blockade on the Gaza Strip and “calm in return for calm and end of the siege.”
Israel has demanded that the return of the remains of two fallen IDF soldiers and two Israeli citizens held captive by Hamas be part of any arrangement. Hamas, meanwhile, has conditioned their release on an exchange for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli custody.
“The issue of prisoners is crucial, it’s a moral issue to me - not a political one and I will do everything to see all those sitting in Israeli jails are released,” Sinwar said of the matter.
Asked what would happen if ceasefire talks fell apart, Sinwar said another war would likely be inevitable.
“If we are attacked, we will defend ourselves. As always and then there will be another war. But then in one year we will meet again and I will tell you the same thing: War gains nothing,” Sinwar said.
On Thursday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced a “wide-scale” reinforcement of forces along the Gaza border and the “continuation of a determined policy to thwart terror activity and prevent infiltrations into Israel from the Gaza Strip.”
Israeli officials are divided on how to deal with escalating violence in Gaza, with hawkish Education Minister Naftali Bennett among the most vocal critics of what he says is an “unsustainable” approach taken by Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Since March 30, weekly demonstrations in Gaza have been held, often escalating into clashes between protesters and the IDF.
At least 193 Palestinians, including 50 Hamas members, have been killed since then.
One Israeli soldier has been killed.