Moussa Abu Marzouk, the deputy political leader of Hamas, has refused to acknowledge his group’s involvement in the killing of civilians during the 7 October attacks in Israel.
Marzouk claimed that only conscripts were targeted, emphasizing that “women, children, and civilians were exempt” from the Hamas’ attacks.
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However, this assertion stands in stark contrast to the wealth of evidence, including video footage from Hamas body cameras and firsthand testimonies, which points to the deliberate targeting of unarmed adults and children by Hamas.
Israel has reported over 1,400 casualties, most of them civilians, due to the 7 October attacks.
Marzouk’s statements come amid mounting global concern over the escalating violence in the region. The Hamas-run health ministry has reported a staggering death toll of 10,000 people since the commencement of Israel’s operations last month.
“We will release them. But we need to stop the fighting,” he said.
Furthermore, Marzouk’s recent trip to Moscow to discuss the situation of eight Russian-Israeli dual citizens who were abducted by the Hamas on 7 October has raised international alarm.
The organization’s status as a proscribed terror group in several countries, including the UK and the US, has intensified scrutiny on Marzouk’s actions.
During the interview, Marzouk emphasized the group’s inability to release two female hostages from Russia due to the ongoing conflict.
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He suggested that the release of hostages would only be possible if Israel ceases its military activities, allowing the safe transfer of captives to the Red Cross.
Marzouk also claimed that the leader of Hamas Qassam Brigades military wing, Mohamed el-Deif, had instructed his men to spare civilians during the 7 October attack. However, this assertion contradicts the extensive evidence of deliberate attacks on unarmed civilians by the terror group.
“El-Deif clearly told his fighters ‘don’t kill a woman, don’t kill a child and don’t kill an old man’,” he said.
Reservist soldiers were, he said, “targeted”. He maintained that only “conscripts […] or soldiers” were killed.
But women, children and civilians were “exempt”, he said.
