On Israel's hitlist, Hamas' Ismail Haniyeh wants 'brave' Pakistan to help end war

Senior leader of Palestinian terrorist group Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh, has allegedly sought help from Pakistan for halting the two-month-old war with Israel. He also called Pakistan a “brave” country and “land of Mujahideen” (people who fight for Islam). As per reports, Haniyeh was addressing the national dialogue on ‘The Sanctity of Al-Aqsa Mosque and Responsibility of the Muslim Ummah’ held in Islamabad where he also said, “If Israel faced resistance from Pakistan, the perpetration of cruelty could cease.” ‘High expectations from Pakistan’ Haniyeh said Palestinians have high expectations from Pakistan and has expressed confidence in the strength of the country. He also underscored the sacrifices made by Palestinians in the Israel-Hamas war and asserted that “Pakistan’s strength could potentially halt the ongoing conflict.” ‘Pakistan can force Israel to retreat’ Despite casualties of civilians in Palestine Haniyeh maintained hope in Pakistan’s potential to force Israel to retreat. The top Hamas leader also emphasised the importance of opposing Israel’s offensive in the Gaza Strip among the countries who follow the Holy Quran closely. Haniyeh further said Israel’s actions, including the arrest of approximately 16,000 Palestinians and desecration of holy sites, were a violation of international terms. The Hamas head also expressed disappointment over the non-implementation of the Oslo Accords, citing a surge in Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories. Haniyeh further warned against diplomatic ties between Islamic nations and Israel, asserting that it would severely ruin the Palestinian cause. The top Hamas leader also accused the US as well as other countries supporting Israel and spoke about his aspiration to see the Jewish nation retreat. He also claimed that Israel had planned a sudden attack on Gaza with the intention of “permanent destruction”. 7 October attack was ‘self-defence’ Haniyeh also justified the 7 October attack by Hamas and called it self-defence. He said it prevented Israel’s plan for occupation. He also claimed that currently, Hamas has been countering Israel’s most advanced weapons and asserted determination to succeed in thwarting Israel’s intentions. ‘Jews biggest enemies of Muslims worldwide’ Haniyeh characterised Jews as the biggest enemies of Muslims worldwide. Haniyeh, who has been associated with Hamas since his college days, has been the tough-talking face of the Palestinian terrorist organisation since the war with Israel began. He was appointed to head the terror group in 1997. Israel has launched an all-round offensive in Gaza, in retaliation for Hamas’ 7 October attack that claimed the lives of more than 1,000 Israelis. Israel’s relentless bombardment in Gaza has killed more than 16,000 Palestinians and displaced tens of thousands.