As operation ‘al-Aqsa Flood’ led by various Palestinian militant organisations into southern Gaza, rolls into its 5th hour, a press statement by Ismail Haniyeh, the head of Hamas’ political Bureau has been released.
“Our heroic Mujahid Palestinian people, our Arab and Islamic nation, free people of the world, the Palestinian resistance is engaged in these historical moments in a heroic epic whose title is Al-Aqsa, our sanctities, and our prisoners, as its central and fundamental cause is the criminal Zionist aggression that took place against the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, and reached its peak during the past days, when thousands of fascist criminal settlers rose. By desecrating the Prophet’s Shrine, peace and blessings be upon him, and performing their prayers there in preparation for imposing Zionist sovereignty over it, which is the step that we had information that he was going towards by imposing sovereignty over Al-Aqsa Mosque, and if the world had been silent, we would not have been silent about this desecration and this intention for aggression.
We are confident that all of our nation, from east to west, from north to south, and in every place, will be part of the battle to defend the site of the Prophet’s mission, may God bless him and grant him peace. We call on every Muslim everywhere and all the free people of the world to stand in this just battle in defending Al-Aqsa and the site of the site. The Messenger, eat as much as you can. This is not the time to wait and watch, and it is not the time for victory in the heart only, but rather victory in action.
The enemy besieging Gaza has planned to surprise it and escalate the aggression against our people in the Gaza Strip, in addition to the settlement and aggression that continues every moment in the West Bank, which seeks to uproot our people and expel them from their land, and the crimes of the occupation against our people in the 1948s, as it stands behind all the killing and assassination operations there, and the occupation’s continuation of… Detaining our prisoners for decades, and reneging on agreements when he re-arrested those liberated from the Wafa al-Ahrar deal.
For all of this, we are waging a battle of honour, resistance, and dignity to defend Al-Masra and Al-Aqsa, under the title that was announced by Brother Commander-in-Chief Abu Khaled Al-Deif, the Al-Aqsa flood. This flood began in Gaza and will extend to the West Bank and abroad, and every place where our people and nation are present. This is your day, and may God help those who help Him. Indeed, God is Powerful, Mighty God has written for most of us, me and my messengers, that God is Powerful, Mighty.”
However, as reports and footage begin to flood in of the killings of Israeli civilians and IDF soldiers, the Israeli Defence Minister claims Hamas has, “made a grave mistake,” continuing, “the state of Israel will win this war.”
Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant following an operational situation assessment held this morning: The Hamas [terrorist organization] has made a grave mistake this morning and launched a war against the State of Israel. IDF troops are fighting against the enemy at every… pic.twitter.com/8fkoEU3IcZ
— Joe Truzman (@JoeTruzman) October 7, 2023
The IDF has reported at least 21 sites of combat with militants in southern Israel.