Hamas Calls October 7 Attacks a “Golden Moment” for Palestinian Cause

A senior Hamas official, Ghazi Hamad, has defended the group’s deadly October 7, 2023, attacks on Israel, describing them as a “golden moment” for the Palestinian struggle despite the massive civilian toll in Gaza that has followed.

In an interview in Doha, two weeks after surviving an Israeli air strike on a Hamas compound, Hamad said the attacks had shifted global attention to the Palestinian cause. He pointed to growing international condemnation of Israel’s offensive and the wave of countries recognizing Palestinian statehood.

“We waited for this moment for 77 years,” Hamad said. “I think this is a golden moment for the world to change the history.”

Hamas militants killed 1,200 people in Israel and took over 250 hostages during the October 7 assault. In retaliation, Israel launched a military campaign that Gaza’s health ministry says has killed more than 65,000 people, mostly women and children, sparking accusations of genocide.

When pressed by CNN on whether Hamas bears responsibility for the civilian casualties, Hamad dismissed the idea, arguing there were no alternatives. “I know the price is so high, but I’m asking again, what is the option?” he said.

The comments came as Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas condemned the October 7 attacks at the United Nations, signaling deep divisions between Palestinian factions.

Hamad also rejected Israeli accusations that Hamas uses hostages as human shields, insisting they are treated “with Islamic principles.” He further denied allegations of sexual abuse against freed hostages, saying, “There is no proof to prove that we use these things against people.”

The Hamas official accused both Israel and the United States of orchestrating the September 9 air strike in Qatar that targeted the group’s leadership. He claimed the attack derailed ongoing ceasefire negotiations, leaving talks “frozen.”

Reiterating Hamas’s refusal to disarm, Hamad said: “The armed wing of Hamas is a legitimate and legal weapon which is used all the time against an occupation. We will never surrender.”