Hamas official rejects prospect of Israeli election changing Gaza policy
Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya has said Palestinians should not expect Israel’s coming election to bring a fundamental change, arguing that Israeli parties have all caused suffering in Gaza. He also discussed Palestinian elections, possible unity talks and a proposed mediation role between Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s Houthis.
Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya has rejected the idea that Israel’s coming election will necessarily change the treatment of Palestinians, saying Israeli parties have all been responsible for suffering in Gaza. In an interview with Al-Araby, al-Hayya said Hamas opposed the use of Palestinian suffering as a campaign tool. He spoke as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seeks another term in the October 27 election.
Netanyahu has said he will not withdraw Israeli troops from Gaza and has rejected a US-backed proposal under which Hamas would surrender its weapons. Hamas has said it is willing to discuss the initiative, while Israel remains sceptical. The election is the first since Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, which killed 1,221 people and resulted in 251 hostages being taken, according to the supplied material.
Israel’s subsequent offensive has killed more than 73,900 people in Gaza, according to the Gaza health ministry. Al-Hayya said Hamas was ready to meet Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to establish a national programme and achieve unity. The Palestinian Authority has scheduled legislative elections for November 28, though their holding remains uncertain.
He also said Hamas had offered to mediate between Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s Houthis, who have carried out attacks against the kingdom. Both Hamas and the Houthis are backed by Iran.
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