Hamas on ‘A flood towards liberation’: A year into the ongoing heroic Al-Aqsa Flood battle

The following statement was issued by Hamas, the Islamic Resistance Movement, on Oct. 7, 2024, and published by Resistance News Network.

October 7 marks a historic turning point in our struggle, representing a natural response to zionist schemes aimed at erasing our national cause, consolidating control over our land and sacred sites, Judaizing them, asserting dominance over the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, persecuting prisoners and continuing the siege on the Gaza Strip. 

This heroic battle, led with unwavering faith, determination, strength and capability, was carried by the Al-Qassam Brigades, alongside all Palestinian resistance factions, with the support of our people across the homeland and abroad. 

At the heart of this movement were the steadfast, patient and sacrificial people of Gaza, standing at the forefront of the nation, defending the land and the holy sites. Since October 7 last year, over the course of an entire year, this Nazi enemy has committed the most heinous crimes and massacres, launching one of the most horrific genocide wars against our people in modern history. 

This ongoing aggressive war, now marking its full year, has claimed the lives of more than 41,000 martyrs, the majority of whom are women and children, with over 96,000 injured. Thousands remain missing beneath the rubble, alongside the thousands of detainees, all from Gaza alone. 

In the West Bank and occupied Al-Quds [Jerusalem], over 600 martyrs have ascended, a quarter of them children, with more than 6,000 people injured, while around 11,000 of our people remain imprisoned, subjected to the most brutal forms of torture, persecution and the slowest deaths in the occupation’s prisons. 

As we mark one year since the Al-Aqsa Flood Battle, we in the Islamic Resistance Movement – Hamas offer our prayers for the souls of our people’s martyrs, who ascended in our long struggle against the zionist enemy. We also pray for the martyr leaders who sacrificed their lives in this heroic battle: our brother, the martyr leader Ismail Haniyeh, our brother, the martyr leader Saleh Al-Arouri, and the caravans of the martyrs from our nation, especially from the support and defense fronts, led by the martyr, His Eminence Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, and the martyr leaders of the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon, whose blood mixed with the blood of our people on the path to liberating Al-Quds and the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque. 

We affirm the following: 

First: The steadfastness of our great people in the Gaza Strip, their steadfastness on their land, their immense sacrifices, their rallying around and embracing of the resistance while remaining patient and steadfast for a full year, is the rock upon which all the occupation’s plans to displace us and eliminate our rights have shattered. 

Second: The cowardly and criminal assassinations carried out by the fascist occupation against the leaders, symbols, and cadres of the resistance, both inside and outside of Palestine, and against the leaders of the resistance on the support fronts, only strengthen our resolve to confront the occupation and its aggressive schemes until it is defeated and vanquished. 

Third: One year into the ongoing Al-Aqsa Flood Battle, we express our pride in the following: 

1 – The legendary steadfastness of our great people in Gaza, who have written a glorious history for our people and our nation through their blood, suffering, hunger, and thirst, as they continue to defend their dignity, freedom, and independence. 

2 – The bravery of the valiant resistance, including our victorious Al-Qassam Brigades, Saraya Al-Quds and all resistance forces who have shattered the myth of the occupation and brought the despicable occupation closer to its inevitable end, offering the lives of their leaders and soldiers in the process.

3 – The heroism of our revolutionary youth and resistance fighters in the proud West Bank, who are confronting the occupation army and defending their land and holy sites against the enemy’s crimes, its hostile invasions of cities and camps, the rampages of extremist settlers and their desecration of the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque. 

Fourth: The Movement has made and continues to make significant efforts to stop the aggression and end the suffering of our people, positively engaging with all initiatives while firmly holding to a permanent ceasefire, the full withdrawal, the upholding of our people’s rights and aspirations, and honoring the blood and sacrifices of our people. 

Fifth: All the lies and propaganda promoted by the occupation and its fascist government against our people and resistance have collapsed and have proven to be false. Likewise, all the rumors and psychological warfare have failed to undermine the popular support for the resistance. 

Sixth: We hold the U.S. administration, a partner in this aggression, fully responsible for the continuation of these crimes and acts of genocide. We call on it to stop its biased support for the occupation and immediately act to halt this brutal genocide war.

Seven: The expansion of zionist aggression to include Arab and Islamic countries — Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, Iraq and Iran — proves once again that it poses a real threat to the security and stability of the region, as well as to regional and international peace and security. Now, more than ever, there is a pressing need to deter this rogue entity, isolate it, boycott it and shut down all attempts to integrate it into our nation or normalize relations with it. 

Eighth: We highly value and appreciate the jihad and sacrifices of our brothers in Hezbollah, the Islamic Resistance, the Islamic Group in Lebanon, Ansarallah in Yemen, and the Islamic Resistance in Iraq. Their steadfast support, sacrifices and participation in aiding our people and resistance during the Al-Aqsa Flood Battle are recognized. We call on all the forces of the Islamic Nation and its free people to join this heroic battle, gaining the honor of defending Al-Quds and the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque. 

Ninth: We renew our call to our Arab and Islamic countries to take urgent steps to stop the ongoing aggression and genocide war against our people. We also urge the implementation of the resolutions from the Arab and Islamic joint summit held in Riyadh on November 11 of last year, calling for serious action to break the siege, bring aid and relief to Gaza, and cut all forms of political, diplomatic, and economic relations with the zionist entity. 

Tenth: We express our gratitude to the Republic of South Africa for filing a lawsuit, and to all the countries that have joined this case, against the zionist occupation at the International Court of Justice for committing genocide in Gaza. 

We also value all the official, popular and partisan stances, initiatives and activities in our Arab and Islamic world and across the globe. We commend the mass mobilization by all free peoples and those with a conscience in capitals around the world, the union movements, popular protests and student demonstrations in universities supporting our people’s rights. 

We call for an escalation of solidarity activities in all arenas and fields, strengthening the boycott of the occupation, condemning its crimes and pressuring countries, entities, companies and organizations that support the genocide war in Gaza. 

Eleven: We call upon the masses of our Palestinian people in the West Bank, Al-Quds, the occupied territories and in refugee camps and the diaspora to escalate all forms of resistance and struggle against the zionist enemy and its schemes. We also call on all Palestinian political factions, movements, organizations and national figures to unite, close ranks and prioritize national responsibility, focusing all efforts and resources to confront this fascist aggression. 

In conclusion, we affirm to the entire world that there can be no compromise on our people’s legitimate right to resist the occupation by all means necessary, to establish our free and independent Palestinian state with Al-Quds as its capital and to live a life of dignity, free from siege, bombing, threats or foreign control — like all other peoples of the world. 

Our great people and valiant resistance will continue their legendary epic in the Al-Aqsa Flood Battle, standing firm against aggression and thwarting its hostile plans. Mercy, glory and eternity to the martyrs of our people and our nation, swift recovery to the wounded and the sick and freedom to the prisoners and detainees in the enemy’s prisons. It is indeed a jihad of victory or martyrdom.

This statement was lightly edited.