New York Times: Regret of a Hamas Official Over the October 7 Attack on Israel

Mousa Abou Marzouk, head of foreign relations for the extremist group Hamas, told the New York Times that if he had known the consequences of the October 7, 2023 attack, it would have been 'impossible' to support it. This interview was published on Monday, March 6, and hours later, Hamas stated that Abou Marzouk's remarks were quoted 'incorrectly' and 'out of context.' Hamas is designated as a terrorist organization by the U.S. and the EU, and until now, all officials of the group defended the October 7 incursion into southern Israel, which resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths, even calling it a 'victory.' Despite the deaths of over 40,000 Palestinians in Israeli attacks on Gaza, some Hamas officials have promised to repeat the October 7 attack. According to the New York Times, Abou Marzouk, who is based in Qatar, said in a phone interview that if he had known what devastation would occur in Gaza, he would not have supported the October 7 attack. The newspaper noted that this is the first time a senior Hamas official has expressed regret over the October 7 attack. Abou Marzouk stated that he was unaware of the plan for the October 7 attack, but he and other Hamas leaders generally supported the military strategy against Israel. He added that as far as he is concerned, 'if what happened was going to happen, the October 7 [attack] would never have occurred.' He also mentioned that there are tendencies within the group to negotiate regarding Hamas's weapons in Gaza, a position that Hamas officials have always rejected. Israel has emphasized the disarmament of Hamas, and according to the New York Times, a compromise on this issue could prevent a recurrence of war between Israel and Hamas. Mousa Abou Marzouk, who is 74 years old, was the first head of Hamas's political bureau in the 1990s. Following the publication of the New York Times report, Hamas issued a statement saying that Mousa Abou Marzouk's words were quoted 'incorrectly' and 'out of context' and that there was interpretation of his statements. The statement also noted that Abou Marzouk considered the October 7 attack as 'the right of the Palestinian people to resist and oppose the siege, occupation, and construction of Israeli settlements.' According to the New York Times, it is unclear how much Abou Marzouk's statements about the October 7 attack align with the views of other Hamas leaders; the newspaper also pointed to the possibility of Hamas attempting to influence negotiations with Israel and his efforts to pressure other Hamas leaders. The report noted that some other Hamas leaders, especially those connected to the Islamic Republic and Hezbollah, hold more extreme positions. Hamas is regarded as a terrorist organization by many countries, including the U.S. and EU member states.