During a conference held in Beirut yesterday, senior Hamas official Khaled Mashaal declared that the Palestinian national movement has entered a transformative phase following the events of October 7. He emphasized the necessity of achieving "national consensus" to navigate this transition smoothly, as reported by the Iranian state-owned Alam network, according to Times of Israel.
Mashaal, who previously served as the political chief of Hamas and is currently based in Doha, advocated for an inclusive postwar framework in Gaza that encompasses all Palestinian factions. He firmly stated, “We will not allow any vacuum in Gaza, and Hamas cannot be excluded in any way.”
In a separate interview with Sky News Arabic today, Mashaal acknowledged the extensive damage inflicted upon Gaza in the wake of the October 7 attack. He remarked, “Gaza is now destroyed. Every fair-minded person sees that this is absolutely true.”
Despite the devastation, Mashaal framed the destruction as a part of the broader struggle for Palestinian liberation. He asserted that these hardships are integral to what he described as “the march of our people toward liberation.”
Mashaal’s remarks reflect Hamas's determination to maintain its influence and presence in Gaza amidst ongoing conflicts and geopolitical shifts. He underscored the importance of a unified Palestinian front to effectively address the challenges and realities that have emerged since the recent conflict.