- cross-posted to:
- palestine@lemmygrad.ml
- worldnews@lemmygrad.ml
- videos
- cross-posted to:
- palestine@lemmygrad.ml
- worldnews@lemmygrad.ml
- videos
Hamas published yesterday an 18-minute long pre-recorded press conference in English about their side of the story.
This has received zero media attention anywhere in the western press.
So in the interest of full transparency, here is the entire press conference.
Watch the video through the link above.
Or just click here.
You must log in or register to comment.
Sorry but how can we demonize our enemy if it turns out they are actually human beings with families aspirations and emotions? No way I'm watching that propaganda! I need to believe they are 'animals' and 'savages' otherwise my conscience might exist
Sarcastic bit aside, that is critical viewing and I really hope western audiences can see it. The plight of the Palestinian people is the plight of all repressed people. Injustice to one is injustice to all!
Here's my transcript; please let me know if there are any errors and also if you can make out what's being said in the two places where I have question marks.
Transcript (part 1)
Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem, press conference on Al-Aqsa Flood operation.
Over 75 years, our Palestinian people have been eager to freedom and self-determination. This genuine right was obstructed by the Israeli occupation and the failure of the international community to stand by their obligation to implement the many UN resolutions that guaranteed the Palestinian national rights. Based on this, no one can deny the right of any people under the occupation to resist their occupiers by all available means, including armed resistance. Here in the Palestinian context, we are speaking about a 75-year-old occupation that neglected and ignored all political and legal means to settle the conflict, where the Israeli enemy continued their policy of denial of the Palestinian people's existence and their international rights.
We have repeatedly warned during the past few months and years that the situation on the ground was not sustainable and that the explosion was about a matter of time.
And we have warned repeatedly from the Israeli continued violations in Al-Aqsa Mosque and their attempt to change its status quo in an apparent plan to divide the Holy Mosque spatially and temporally.
We have also warned from the state terrorism implemented by the fascist settlers across the occupied West Bank.
We have warned from the forceful expulsion of our people from Jerusalem.
We have also warned from the systematic crimes against our prisoners, including women and children in Israeli jails.
And lastly, we have warned from the Israeli siege imposed on Gaza for more than 17 years, which is a war crime that turned Gaza to the biggest open-air prison on earth where a whole generation has lost all kinds of hopes.But unfortunately, no one listened to these warnings, and the international community, especially the Western countries, continued to give Israel the cover at all levels to continue committing its crimes. Based on that, we confirmed the following:
First, Operation Al-Aqsa Flood was a supremely defensive act.
Second, the decision to launch the military operation was entirely Palestinian.
Third, the operation targeted only Israeli military bases and compounds that were suffocating the people of Gaza for more than 17 years.
Fourth, we here would like to stress that there were clear instructions from the top commander of Al-Qassam Brigades to avoid targeting civilians or killing them, and many released videos showed how Al-Qassam fighters were keen to avoid harming civilians.
Fifth, as a result of the swift collapse of the Israeli military bases and the surrender of the Israeli soldiers, chaos prevailed in the scene where civilians found themselves in the middle of the confrontations.
Sixth, as for the reaction of the Western countries towards our defensive act and the Israeli criminal response, we condemned the unethical bias by the Western governments, mainly the U.S., where they were only seeking to demonize the Palestinian people and their struggle for freedom and dignity.
Seventh, we clearly condemn the reports we have received that certain Western countries are dispatching military support to the Israeli occupation. Those countries are taking part in the Israeli aggression and killing of our people instead of seeking a resolution or contributing to ending the longest ever occupation in modern history.
Eighth, for the captives and prisoners held by the resistance, we confirm here and make it clear we are fully committed to treat them in accordance with our religious values and the rules of international humanitarian law. But in the same time, we are really worried that as the Israeli aggression is everywhere in Gaza, they might be the victims to the Israeli army bombardment like our people. We all know that the Israeli military allows the Israeli army to target captives and their captors even if it leads to kill them, which is named the Hannibal Doctrine.
Ninth, we also confirm that the [file? @5:17] of prisoners and captors will not be open as long as the Israeli aggression on Gaza continues. Tenth, on the Israeli allegations of killing civilians and beheading of babies, which were unethically and unprofessionally adopted by many Western media outlets, this is completely shame that these media outlets follow such lies and Israeli propaganda without making simple efforts to check the reality of these allegations. We firmly deny these allegations and as we reject this media bias, we call on the media agencies to abide by the journalism code of ethics.
Eleventh, in connection to this bias, we totally reject the racist speech by US President Joe Biden who adopted crystal clear lies against our resistance and who blindly followed the Israeli allegations and propaganda that were refuted even by many US media.
Finally, I conclude by saying again that the Palestinian people have full right to fight back until ending the Israeli occupation where we will continue to do so until reclaiming our national goals and rights.
We call upon the governments and peoples all over the world to help us against such brutal and fascist occupation.
We call on all the free people around the world to shoulder their moral responsibilities towards the Palestinian just cause and also we urge the international community to take immediate actions toward ending this Israeli aggression and to ensure reopening of the crossing in order to allow the entry of all basics and humanitarian materials into the Gaza Strip. Thank you very much.Transcript (part 2)
It is no doubt that what the Israeli occupation is implementing is a scorched earth policy. In their aggression on Gaza, thousands of civilians are being killed under the rubble and the rubble of their homes. In brief, they are destroying everything. Gaza is being wiped out by the fascist and the [indiscriminate] Israeli bombing. If we describe the situation in Gaza, it could be said in one word: it is a genocide. There is no safe area for the people in Gaza to seek refugee or shelter. Every area and every building is under possible attack. Everyone is targeted and vulnerable to Israel killing, including women, children, elderly and even disabled people and people with special needs.
For these difficult days in Gaza, the brutal Israeli aggression against Gaza Strip continues with all brutality and intent to commit as [many] crimes and massacres as they can. They are targeting residential neighborhoods. They are destroying homes without giving any warning or chance for the inhabitants to leave. Not to mention the illegal and unethical closure of Gaza crossing and cutting all vital services including water, electricity, fuel, the supply of medicines and food as clearly stated by the Israeli leaders.
The Israeli leaders are giving clear instruction to their army to carry out a genocide to more than 2 million citizens in Gaza Strip. We are facing unprecedented crimes in the modern history. They have exceeded all books of atrocious crimes and they have torn up all the humanitarian and international law and conventions.
I just want to talk about the murders and wounded people. According to the official reports issued by the government in Gaza or international organization, according to the latest statics from the Ministry of Health in Gaza, the death toll has risen to more than 1,350 and this number is increasing from moment to moment including 260 children and 230 women in addition to nearly 6,000 or 7,000 wounded people as a result of the continued Israeli raids across Gaza. The occupation crimes against our Palestinian families led to kill entire families. The number of the families is more than now 25 or 27 families who are deleted from the civil courts in Gaza and all members of each family were killed together without giving them a chance to leave their homes and I think some families they have about 15 or 13 or 20 persons in the same building.
Regarding to this catastrophe in Gaza, according to the United Nations reports, the Israeli raids have caused the displacement of nearly about 300,000 people who are displaced from their homes to the schools or refugee or circle centers in Gaza Strip and the number is increasing because of the [brutal] attack on Gaza Strip everywhere. Regarding the demolishing homes, the Civil Defense Department crews are incapable of dealing with huge amount of distress calls by people under the rubble of their destroyed homes. Large number of citizens are still under the rubble of their homes in several areas across Gaza but the rescue team are unable to pull them out as the Israeli aggression continues. Moreover, it is important to mention that the civil defense rescue teams lack equipments to pull out the people trapped under the rubble. As for the destroyed houses and buildings, whether completely or partial, we cannot determine it exactly at the moment because it increases every minute and every second but I can say that more than 20,000 homes were destroyed in Gaza. The vast majority of homes were destroyed without warning leading to wiping out entire families as mentioned above.
Here we also do not forget to say that the Israeli war plans are systematically targeting the public facilities across Gaza including the universities and also hospitals, health centers, mosques and everything moving in Gaza. Regarding the health situation and the medical staff, the occupation forces target medical personnel and target their ambulances preventing them from rescuing from their action in Gaza or providing assistance to citizens who request their assistance. The latest figure to indicate that six health personnel have been killed while on duty where their ambulances were directly hit by the Israeli occupation forces. Our hospitals have declared that they have run out of bed capacity and the injured people are being treated while on the floor. There is several shortage, about 44% of medicine and 32% of medical equipments and 60% of laboratory supplies. Now the situation in hospitals is very catastrophic because of the lack of electricity, lack of many things so the situation is very difficult for the medical team to provide services.
Regarding this new crime in Gaza, regarding the journalists, I am so sorry to say that the number of the murdered Palestinian journalists rose to 8 since the start of the Israeli aggression on Gaza Strip. Several press buildings and offices were also bombed by or targeted by the Israeli occupation forces.
Regarding the main services in Gaza, the Israeli occupation government continues to threaten to strike any trucks or cars transporting humanitarian aid and supply to Gaza Strip and has so far rejected all international calls and appeals to allow its entry. So-called Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant decided on last Monday to impose complete siege on Gaza saying no electricity, no food, no water, no fuel. This is a clear statement that goes against all international and human laws and even beyond the basic level of human ethics. Most of Gaza Strip currently live in complete darkness as a result of the power cut which also leads to the interruption of the water supply.
This is a new crime also committed by the Israeli occupation forces regarding the diplomatic and the United Nations staff. The United Nations staff were not too far from the Israeli aggression so far 11 UN workers from the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for the Palestinian refugee which is called UNRWA have been killed in the ongoing strike on the Gaza Strip since last Saturday, some of which were killed with their families.
In all Gaza is experiencing an unprecedented humanitarian and catastrophe that require the immediate action from the international community, from different countries because I said that situation in Gaza, Gaza is like a bigger prison, situation is very hard, very difficult. We ask all the international community, governments, organizations to move and to give more attention to our people there because death is in every moment, destruction in every moment so we send this appeal, this call for all people all over the world to give help and support to our people in Gaza Strip. Thank you.
8:34 is maybe "brutality"?
Also it's probably "and intent to commit", i.e. "continues with all... intent to commit"
don't read this prescriptivism, I'm just compulsively annoying sometimes
the press conference was in english so this is a transcription
No it's a fair point (and why I changed my original comment), that's what I get for only blowing up the comment and not clearly reading the part which said 'Transcript' lmao
Hidden replies and the poster closed replies. I'm guessing it's Israel supporters delighting in posting brutal images of dead bodies, which is disgusting. Not gonna check though.
Hamas did not name the speakers. I do believe the one on the left might be Basem Naim, the head of the Council on International Relations in Gaza.
You can download through Twitter, but I don't know if anyone has...
yt-dlp supports twitter. I have already downloaded the vid.
It apparently originally comes from this official Hamas telegram channel.
I’m not sure I believe their claims of only targeting military bases and avoiding civilians, when there are videos of them torturing civilians and attacking places like the music festival
Want them to avoid collateral damage? Let them have some guided missiles that they can use to precisely eliminate settler military bases instead of improvised rocket artillery that misses a lot.
Most of the dead civilians are from hamas men on the ground shooting them, though. Iron Dome prevented a good chunk of the rockets.
Counterpoint: If the government and military of Israel was destroyed, this fight wouldn't be happening, so I think giving Hamas guided missiles still seems like a solid idea
the music festival had IOF soldiers and a Merkava tank at it
I straight up don't believe your claims about torture videos
https://www.reuters.com/graphics/ISRAEL-PALESTINIANS/MASSACRES/zgporzedjvd/
Lot of verified clips in here. Sure is a lot of civilian targeting
before I click on this you said torturing, are you moving the goalposts already?
No torture video in the Reuters article, that sounds like a claim that'll be walked back like 40 decapitated babies.
Considering all the video that exists documenting what's happening in this Hamas operation, I don't see why you'd have to bring up unverified things that seem made up.
"and compounds that were suffocating the people of Gaza for more than 17 years."
They're not denying it, they're admitting they attacked settlements.
Can’t be targeting civilians if everyone is a potential military combatant. Smart
Yes yes, you're very clever for having basic rhetorical awareness. Doesn't count for much when that's literally true, as it is in Israel's case. The vast majority of Israeli civilians are likely not potential combatants, and I'm sure most of them weren't even combat specialists during their compulsory service. But the point stands, Israel does maintain a policy of compulsory enlistment, which necessarily shapes their peoples' relationship to their government and their complicity in its crimes. You can't just write that off and refuse to reckon with it.
If Israel can demolish whole apartment buildings full of civilians because one Hamas leader lives there or one rocket battery is on the roof, than Hamas can target a whole village because one IDF officer or a Merkava tank is there. You don't get to have it both ways. It's either wrong or it isn't. There are as many people in these Gaza apartment buildings as there are in the villages Hamas attacked.
https://www.reuters.com/graphics/ISRAEL-PALESTINIANS/MASSACRES/zgporzedjvd/ Plenty of verified videos here, at least the ones that aren’t too gory
None of those videos show torture or even civilian targeting beyond taking hostages which no one denies anyways. What exactly is the point of linking things you haven't even looked at.
Nice argument, redditor, why don't you back it up with a source?