Senior Hamas leader and the terror group's political chief, Ismail Haniyeh, has reportedly sought help from Pakistan in their ongoing war with Israel. Calling Pakistan "brave", he said that if Israel faced "resistance from Pakistan, the perpetration of cruelty could cease", Pakistan's Geo News reported on Wednesday.
Haniyeh made the remark during his address to the national dialogue on ‘The Sanctity of Al-Aqsa Mosque and Responsibility of the Muslim Ummah’ held in Islamabad, Pakistan.
Expressing hope in Pakistan's support for Hamas, Haniyeh called the country a "land of mujahideen (people who fight for Islam)".
Underscoring the sacrifices made by Palestinians in the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, Haniyeh said that Pakistan's strength could potentially halt the conflict, Geo News reported.
The top Hamas leader stressed the importance of opposing Israel's offensive in the Gaza Strip among nations who follow Holy Quran closely. He said that Israel's actions, including the arrest of around 16,000 Palestinians and desecration of holy sites, were a violation of international terms.
Ismail Haniyeh also expressed disappointment over the non-implementation of the Oslo Accords, citing a surge in Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories. The top Hamas leader warned against diplomatic ties between Islamic nations and Israel, asserting that it would severely ruin the Palestinian cause.
In his address at the event, organised by Majlis Ittehad-e-Ummah Pakistan, Haniyeh accused the US and other countries for their support of Israel and spoke about his wish to see the Jewish nation retreat. Further, he claimed that Israel had planned a sudden attack on Gaza with the intention of "permanent destruction".
He also justified the October 7 attack by Hamas, calling it self-defence and saying it prevented Israel's plan for occupation, according to the Geo News report.
Biggest enemies of Muslims
He said that Hamas was countering Israel's most advanced weapons, and showed determination about the Palestinian terrorist group's success in derailing Israel's intentions.
In his speech, he also called Jews the "biggest enemies" of all Muslims worldwide, the Geo News report said.
Ismail Haniyeh: Born in a refugee camp and now based in Qatar
Associated with Hamas since his college days, Haniyeh was appointed to head the terror group in 1997. Since then, he has risen through the ranks and was also the head of the group that won the Palestinian legislative polls in 2006, and became Prime Minister. President of the Palestinian Authority (PA) Mahmoud Abbas sacked Ismail Haniyeh in June 2007 at the peak of the Fatah–Hamas conflict, but the Hamas leader did not acknowledge the order and continued to exercise prime ministerial authority in Gaza, becoming one of the two disputed premiers.
Following the brutal October 7 attack, footage that surfaced online showed Haniyeh rejoicing and celebrating the massacre with other Hamas officials.
Israel-Hamas war
Israel's relentless bombardment in Gaza has killed more than 16,000 Palestinians and displaced tens of thousands. The United Nations has consistently called for a ceasefire in the besieged enclave, with its Secretary-General Ant³nio Guterres mentioning in a letter to the President of the Security Council that public order in Gaza would "completely break down soon due to the desperate conditions".
Furthermore, several global leaders have called for a Gaza ceasefire despite their support for Israel's right to protect itself. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly declined ceasefire talks, saying it would mean caving in before Hamas. He has also vowed to wipe out the terror group, and ordered to take down Hamas leaders around the world.
