Published: 02:42 BST, 12 October 2023 | Updated: 04:24 BST, 12 October 2023
A top ranking Hamas official said that Russian President Vladimir Putin is pleased with the conflict in Israel, which was planned by terrorists for two years, because it distracts America from the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Senior Hamas official Ali Baraka said during an interview with an Arab news channel that prior to the terrorist organization’s massacre of Israelis last Saturday, fewer than five Hamas leaders knew about the attack.
Baraka said that for the last few years, Hamas projected a ‘rational’ image to the outside world by claiming to focus on governing in Gaza as opposed to planning terror attacks.
That image, however, was part of the organization’s plan to covertly plan the massive attack on Israel that has launched the region back into war.
‘It (Hamas) did not go into any war. It did not join the Islamic Jihad in its recent battle,’ said Baraka.
‘But all this was part of Hamas’s strategy in preparing for this attack,’ the interviewer jumped in to say.
Senior Hamas member says Russia appreciates their attack on Israel because it divides America’s attention and thus helps Russia in Ukraine.
He also says the attack has been planned for 2 years and that less than 5 Hamas leaders knew exactly what and when it would happen pic.twitter.com/GEvbaM8ubb
— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) October 11, 2023
Palestinians in Gaza endure the fallout of Israeli airstrikes that began following Saturday’s massive terror attack on Israel
‘Of course. We made them think that Hamas was busy with governing Gaza, and that it wanted to focus on the 2.5million Palestinians (in Gaza), and has abandoned the resistance all together. All while under the table, Hamas was preparing for this big attack,’ Baraka readily admitted.
‘We have been preparing for this attack for two years,’ he said.
His comments confirm, among other things, that Hamas’ view of the Palestinian people is merely utilitarian. The terrorist organization infamously places headquarters in hospitals, near schools, and in residential neighborhoods to ensure that any retaliatory attacks will cost as many civilian lives as possible.
As the Israeli military began its onslaught against Hamas this week, the IDF and Israeli government repeatedly sent messages to civilians in Gaza to get out before the attacks begin. Hamas reportedly sent messages to those same civilians telling them to stay in place.
Baraka discussed the attitude toward human life taken by Hamas and Palestinian extremists when it comes to war with Israel.
‘The Israelis are known to love life,’ he said. ‘We, on the other hand, sacrifice ourselves. We consider our dead to be martyrs.’
‘The thing any Palestinian desires most is to be martyred for the sake of Allah, defending his land.’
He went on to say repeatedly that Russia is a country that ‘sympathizes with us.’ He said that following the attacks, the Russians sent Hamas leaders messages.
‘Russia is happy that America is getting embroiled in Palestine. It alleviates the pressure on Russians in Ukraine,’ he explained. ‘One war eases the pressure in another war.’
Ali Baraka said Russia is pleased that the United States has been distracted by the war in the Middle East. The US’ involvement alleviates some of the pressure on Putin for his ongoing war in Ukraine
‘The thing any Palestinian desires most is to be martyred for the sake of Allah, defending his land,’ Baraka said in an interview about the outbreak of the war
He explained some of the geopolitical dynamics surrounding Hamas’ actions in Israel
An IDF soldier reacts and covers his face before removing the body of a civilian killed days earlier in an attack by Hamas militants on October 10, 2023 in Kfar Aza, Israel
Aftermath of Israeli air strikes in Gaza on October 10, 2023. Israeli air strikes hammered Gaza on Tuesday, razing entire districts in retaliation for Saturday’s Hamas terror attacks
Also in the interview, Baraka explained that Iran is Hamas’ primary political and financial backer, and that the terror organization plans to expand the and escalate the war so that Israel is defending itself in the South and the North.
Rockets from Syria and Lebanon began flying into northern Israel early this week.
On Saturday, Iran-backed Palestinian terrorists stormed Israel in a coordinated attack that has so far taken the lives of 1,200 Israelis, some of whom were raped, burned alive, and beheaded mercilessly by agents of Hamas.
Today, residents in Gaza faced growing uncertainty after the territory’s only power plant ran out of fuel and shut down. Over the weekend, PM Netanyahu declared war on Hamas and made it clear that Gaza would feel the impact of Israel’s retaliation for decades to come.
This week, Israeli airstrikes demolished entire neighborhoods and sent people scrambling to find safety. The war is only expected to escalate from here.
Netanyahu has promised that his military will ensure the deaths of every Hamas agent.