Tehran: Khaled Qaddoumi, Hamas representative in Tehran, has called Israel 'an enemy of humanity,' emphasizing the unity of regional countries in the face of the regime. 'This enemy is truly an enemy of humanity; Israel, an enemy that has come to the region at the beginning of this century. Today, we must all unite,' Qaddoumi said in an exclusive interview with IRNA published on Saturday. He praised Iran for sustained support to Palestinian groups, saying that Palestinians and Iranians shared concerns over Israeli crimes.
According to Islamic Republic News Agency, Qaddoumi stated that the Israeli regime is committing crimes in Palestine and across the region; despite this, the Palestinian resistance movement, Hamas, will continue pursuing resistance and demanding the implementation of Gaza ceasefire commitments. Hamas's recent selection of Khalil al-Hayya as head of its political bureau demonstrated Palestinian unity, arguing that the killing of resistance leaders, including Ismail Haniyeh and Yahya Sinwar, would not change the movement's course.
Hamas is not seeking political positions and intends to maintain administrative structures in Gaza based on local needs, Qaddoumi said. Regarding weapons, he noted that decisions about whether Palestinian resistance groups should retain or surrender weapons should be made by Palestinians themselves after establishing a political framework, including representative institutions and a government.
The Hamas official criticized the implementation of the Gaza ceasefire agreement, saying its initial provisions called for an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and the reopening of crossings. He said the agreement envisaged the entry of 600 trucks of aid into Gaza each day, rising to 1,500 in a subsequent phase. According to Qaddoumi, only 297 trucks entered under the cited arrangement, including 160 commercial trucks, which he said represented less than 20 percent of the expected humanitarian assistance.
Qaddoumi urged mediators and guarantors, including the United States and Egypt, to pressure the Israeli regime to facilitate the entry of the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG) into Gaza. The committee, he said, would address humanitarian needs, reconstruction, aid delivery, and preparations for future elections.
Qaddoumi said roughly 70 percent of Palestinian fatalities were women and children, saying images and information from Gaza had exposed the Israeli regime's atrocities worldwide. He noted that public opinion in Europe and the United States was increasingly focused on Gaza's humanitarian situation and praised journalists for documenting events.
He also said Israeli settlers are attacking Al-Aqsa Mosque and Palestinian communities in the occupied West Bank, burning property and killing Palestinians, with military support. Qaddoumi urged the international community to respond, warning that inaction would lead to further displacement and bloodshed.