DaysofPal- Khaled Mashal, head of Hamas’ political bureau abroad, said the Movement rejects Israeli occupation and any form of foreign guardianship over the Palestinian people, calling on Western governments to reconsider their positions and support Palestinian aspirations for freedom and an end to occupation.
In a wide-ranging interview with Drop Site, conducted in Doha by journalist Jeremy Scahill, Mashal said Hamas opposes foreign interference in Palestinian affairs and rejects international support for the Israeli occupation, while remaining open to engagement with the United States, Europe, and the broader global community to build cultural exchange and manage mutual interests.
He urged Washington to pursue a serious path of direct negotiations with Hamas and other Palestinian political factions to establish friendly bilateral relations.
Mashal described the ongoing Israeli military campaign in the Gaza Strip as an unprecedented crime and a genocidal war, likening it to the historical persecution suffered by Jews decades ago.
He said the Israeli occupation is carrying out what he termed a “holocaust” against the Palestinian people in Gaza, an area of just 365 square kilometers, using the most destructive means of killing and devastation.
He firmly rejected calls for Hamas and other Palestinian factions to surrender their weapons, citing a deep lack of trust in the Israeli occupation.
“There is no trust among Palestinians in the Israeli occupation ,” Mashal said, describing the Israeli history as one marked by massacres, betrayal, and repeated violations of agreements.
He pointed to the experiences of Palestinian leaders, including Yasser Arafat, whom he said was poisoned despite signing the Oslo Accords, and President Mahmoud Abbas, who he said remains politically constrained despite continued engagement with the Israeli occupation.
Mashal said it is natural for Palestinians living under occupation to hold on to their weapons, arguing that armed resistance is a normal response when political avenues are blocked.
Addressing proposals related to weapons control, he said Hamas has made its position clear since the announcement of former U.S. President Donald Trump’s plan, rejecting any attempt at forced disarmament and warning that such an approach would lead to confrontation.
At the same time, Mashal outlined what he described as a realistic framework that could help stabilize the situation.
He said resistance weapons could be preserved but not used, displayed, or paraded, and instead set aside through a voluntary and serious decision.
He added that Hamas could accept international stabilization forces along borders as a buffer between Palestinians and Israelis, but not inside Gaza or tasked with disarming Palestinians.
Mashal also expressed support for a long-term truce, ranging from five to ten years, if agreed upon, and said regional and international mediators, including Egypt, Qatar, Turkey, and other Arab and Islamic states, could provide guarantees to all parties.
Mashal stressed that the core issue is not Palestinian commitment, but the Israeli record and overwhelming military power, arguing that the priority should be protecting the largely unarmed Palestinian population.
Responding to reported U.S. plans to dismantle Hamas, he warned that such efforts would further destabilize the region, drawing parallels with past failed interventions, including in Iraq.
He said Hamas is not merely an armed group, but a broad-based resistance Movement deeply rooted in Palestinian society, with members active across all sectors of life.
According to Mashal, Hamas has demonstrated the ability to govern and maintain security in Gaza over the past two decades, learning from its mistakes and ensuring stability despite an ongoing blockade.
Mashal warned that any attempt to impose a non-Palestinian authority or foreign forces inside Gaza would be rejected and would inevitably fail, leading to confrontation not only with Hamas but with Palestinian society as a whole.
He said Hamas has stepped back from direct governance in Gaza to facilitate Palestinian consensus, supporting the formation of a technocratic administration through Palestinian dialogue under the sponsorship of mediators such as Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey.
He revealed that a proposal involving 40 independent Palestinian technocrats had recently been finalized, with eight selected to lead a transitional administration. Still, he said, implementation has been delayed due to uncertainty over Israeli actions in the next phase of the ceasefire.
Mashal accused Israel of failing to fully implement the first phase of the ceasefire agreement, particularly about humanitarian aid, shelter, medical supplies, hospital rehabilitation, and the opening of the Rafah crossing, despite what he described as Hamas’ full compliance.
He called for Israel to be held accountable for meeting all first-phase commitments before moving to the second phase, stressing that Palestinian factions remain committed to continued negotiations through mediators.
Reiterating that Palestinians will not accept life under occupation, Mashal said the choices are either resistance, which he said is recognized under international law, or meaningful international support to end occupation.
Politically, he said Hamas supports genuine democracy and free elections without external imposition, arguing that Palestinians are capable of governing themselves and producing legitimate leadership.
Mashal concluded by outlining Hamas’ vision as both principled and pragmatic: rejecting occupation, guardianship, and the forfeiture of core rights, including Jerusalem and the right of return, while remaining open to political engagement with Palestinian partners, Arab and Islamic states, and the international community.
He said Hamas is prepared to accept the establishment of a Palestinian state along the 1967 borders, including Jerusalem, if there is a serious regional and international commitment to compel the Israeli occupation to withdraw.
“If these conditions are met, Hamas will act responsibly and help build a truly democratic Palestinian state.” Mashal said
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