‘Palestinian State is One of the Fruits of October 7’: Emboldened Hamas Credits Its Violence for Gains as Released Hostage Video Spurs Outcry

Latest Developments

Hamas Official Praises October 7 Atrocities: Qatar-based senior Hamas official Ghazi Hamad claimed that Hamas’s October 7, 2023, atrocities in Israel spurred Western nations to recognize a Palestinian state. “The initiative by several countries to recognize a Palestinian state is one of the fruits of October 7. We proved that victory over Israel is not impossible, and our weapons are a symbol of Palestinian dignity,” Hamad said during an August 2 interview. His comments came after France, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Malta announced in recent weeks that their governments would officially recognize Palestinian statehood during the UN General Assembly meeting to be held in September. Hamad added, “Without our weapons, no one would be looking in our direction.”
Hamas Makes Demands, Vows to Keep Weapons: Hamas stated on August 2 that it would not disarm until a sovereign Palestinian state is created with its capital in Jerusalem. The message contradicted statements by U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff who told hostage families on August 2 that Hamas was prepared to demilitarize in order to end the war. Hamas’s statement was in response to an Arab League declaration on July 29, whose 22 member nations unanimously condemned the terrorist group’s October 7 attack on Israel, called on Hamas to hand over its weapons to the Palestinian Authority, and end its rule of Gaza.
Thousands of Israelis Rally After Gaza Terrorists Release Videos of Emaciated Hostages: The family of 24-year-old hostage, Evyatar David, accused Hamas on August 2 of “deliberately and cynically” starving him as part of a “propaganda campaign.” Hamas released a video on August 1 showing a skeleton-thin David marking off days on a calendar and digging his own grave within a tunnel. Another video released by the Iran-backed Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorist group on July 31 shows another hostage, 21-year-old Rom Braslavski, looking distressed and emaciated, lying on the ground in an unknown location in Gaza. Tens of thousands of Israelis rallied in Tel Aviv on August 2 in support of the 50 hostages that remain captive in Gaza, with some 20 believed to still be alive.

FDD Expert Response

“The nations that have foolishly decided to unconditionally recognize a Palestinian state are falling into a trap that Hamas laid for them on October 7. Recognition of a Palestinian state should be predicated on the Palestinians meeting basic governance requirements. There is currently no credible Palestinian leadership in the West Bank or Gaza, and no Palestinian leadership, past or present, that has ever accepted a peace deal with the Jewish state. Until the Palestinians can put forward a capable leader who agrees to live in peace with Israel, there can be no Palestinian state.” — Enia Krivine, Senior Director of FDD’s Israel Program and National Security Network

“Look into Evyatar David’s eyes. The video underscores in vivid, undeniable terms that Hamas is obscenely — and illegally — using starvation against Israeli hostages. Tal Shoham, a released hostage held with David and several other hostages, exposed that captors cooked food for themselves that they boasted they stole from humanitarian donors. Gazans are increasingly turning against Hamas for stealing and hoarding food, denying it to those they purport to represent. It is Hamas and its enablers who should be shamed, humiliated, and held accountable. The international community must go beyond verbal condemnation and use its leverage to isolate Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad and extricate all those who are suffering under their barbaric rule.” — Toby Dershowitz, Managing Director of FDD Action