DaysofPal – The Hamas Movement said on Saturday that statements made by Israel’s war minister boasting about the scale of destruction inflicted on the Gaza Strip constitute an explicit admission of genocide and a flagrant disregard for international law.
Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem said in a press statement that the Israeli war minister’s congratulation of soldiers for the “crime of destruction” represents a shocking level of contempt for humanitarian norms.
He pointed to Western media reports that have revealed staggering figures detailing the extent of devastation in Gaza, saying the remarks confirm an unprecedented erosion of moral and legal restraints in modern history.
Qassem stressed that the ongoing assault on Gaza, including acts of ethnic cleansing and widespread destruction, amounts to a “fully constituted crime.” He added that such public acknowledgments, issued openly and from the highest levels of Israel’s leadership, place the international community before a clear and unavoidable responsibility.
“These confessions require immediate international action and real accountability for the entire occupation system,” Qassem said, calling for Israeli leaders to be brought before international courts as war criminals in light of the extensive crimes committed against civilians and civilian infrastructure in the Gaza Strip.
The Hamas statement followed remarks made on Friday by Israeli war minister Yoav Katz, who openly praised Israeli military operations in Gaza and reaffirmed his full support for soldiers involved in the campaign. His comments came in response to a report published by The New York Times, which cited satellite imagery showing the continued destruction of civilian infrastructure in Gaza.
In his remarks, Katz said, “I congratulate the army’s soldiers,” referring to the newspaper’s claim that satellite images show Israel continuing to destroy Gaza. He noted that since the ceasefire took effect two months ago, more than 2,500 buildings have been demolished in areas under Israeli control.
According to the report cited by Katz, entire neighborhoods, including Shuja’iyya, have been destroyed, with complete residential complexes, homes, and agricultural areas reduced to rubble even after the ceasefire began.
Katz later reiterated his remarks in a post on the social media platform X, again congratulating Israeli soldiers on their actions.
These statements came as the United Nations warned that the unprecedented level of destruction in Gaza poses enormous challenges to relief and recovery efforts. UN officials have stressed that clearing the debris alone will take years.
Jorge Moreira da Silva, Executive Director of the United Nations Office for Project Services, said the Gaza Strip contains more than 60 million tons of rubble, adding that its removal could take over seven years, underscoring the scale of devastation left behind.
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