Hamas: Foreign Forces Must Not Become Tools Against Palestinians

He added that all Palestinian factions, including Fatah, adopted a unified position in Cairo regarding international forces, focusing on civilian protection and halting aggression rather than legitimizing new foreign military presence.
According to Badran, the ceasefire agreement was reached after the international community grew weary of the occupiers’ actions, including those backed by the United States. “We are the rightful owners of the land,” he said, “and the world must direct its stance toward the occupier, not the victim.”
Hamas and Israel reached a ceasefire deal mediated by Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey, with U.S. oversight, beginning its first phase on October 10.
The Israeli war on Gaza has left more than 70,000 dead and about 171,000 wounded, most of them women and children, while causing massive destruction. The United Nations has estimated the cost of rebuilding Gaza at around $70 billion.
Badran also addressed the plight of Palestinian fighters trapped outside the “yellow line” in Rafah, noting that Hamas held difficult negotiations with mediators to save their lives, but the occupiers repeatedly imposed impossible conditions and withdrew from them. He said demands for surrender and disarmament were firmly rejected, as fighters in the field would never accept such terms.
He accused Israel of trying to use the Rafah situation to project an image of victory after two years of war, saying that the occupiers initiated attacks against the fighters, who nonetheless represent Gaza and the dignity of the Palestinian people, despite the heavy cost.
Badran added that Israel has continued its organized escalation since the start of the war, including recent military operations in Tubas and northern West Bank, as well as earlier raids in Tulkarm, Jenin, and Nablus. He argued that Israel’s narrative linking these crimes to the October 7 attacks is false, since the West Bank did not participate in that assault, yet the occupiers persist in killings, land seizures, and geographic fragmentation.
He emphasized that the current stage requires a unified Palestinian stance, and Hamas is in contact with various forces to establish mechanisms to protect residents against settler and military aggression.
Israeli forces withdrew from Tubas after a four-day operation in the northern West Bank, which resulted in the destruction of homes, injuries to more than 166 Palestinians, and the arrest of about 200 people, most of whom had previously been released.