Hamas Leader Admits October 7th Was a Mistake

In a recent interview with The New York Times, Mousa Abu Marzouk, the head of Hamas’s foreign relations office, expressed regret over the destructive consequences of the October 7 attacks on Gaza. He admitted that had he known the scale of the devastation that would follow, he would never have agreed to the operation. Abu Marzouk, who was not informed of the full details of the plans, stated, "If it was expected that what happened would happen, there wouldn't have been October 7."

During the interview, Abu Marzouk described Hamas's survival in the war against Israel as a "kind of victory," though he was quick to clarify that this survival should not be viewed as a true victory, especially given the severe destruction Israel brought to Gaza. He further criticized Israel for "losing control" and taking "revenge against everything."

In addition to discussing the group's survival, Abu Marzouk spoke about Hamas’s willingness to negotiate on various issues, including the group's weapons in Gaza. He also addressed the issue of hostages, revealing that Hamas would demand the release of additional prisoners in exchange for the remaining hostages. He stated that Hamas might be open to releasing all hostages if Israel agreed to release thousands of prisoners and withdrew from Gaza, effectively ending the war.

However, Hamas later responded to Abu Marzouk's statements, claiming that the interview had misrepresented his words and taken them out of context. The organization emphasized that the October 7 operation was a reflection of their people's right to resist and reject what they consider the siege, occupation, and settlements. Hamas reiterated that it would continue to uphold its armed resistance until they achieve "liberation and return" of their land.