Palestinian Authority Describes Khamenei's Remarks as 'Sacrificing Children and Women'

On Monday, the Palestinian Authority responded to remarks made by Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic, stating that Palestinians do not need wars that do not serve their aspirations for 'freedom and independence.' In a speech marking the anniversary of Khomeini's death and attended by the heads of the three branches of the Islamic Republic, Khamenei referred to the October 7 Hamas terrorist attack on Israel as 'exactly what the region needs.' According to Khamenei, the Hamas attack coincided with a plan by the U.S., Israel, and 'some regional countries to change the equations in the region.' The Palestinian Authority's statement highlighted the devastating consequences of the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel, including the deaths of 'over 36,000' Palestinians, injuries to '83,000 people,' destruction of Gaza's infrastructure including hospitals, schools, mosques, churches, and the displacement of thousands of Palestinians. They described Khamenei's remarks as aimed at sacrificing the blood of Palestinians and thousands of Palestinian children, women, and the elderly. Immediately following the October 7 terrorist attack, which resulted in the deaths of over 1,200 Israeli citizens, mostly civilians including women, children, and the elderly, Iranian officials expressed their firm support for Hamas and reiterated their decades-long call for the destruction of Israel. The day after the attack, Hezbollah, as the main proxy arm of the Islamic Republic, began launching rockets toward northern Israel, forcing tens of thousands of Israeli citizens to flee their homes. In this context, Iranian-backed Houthis also attacked commercial ships passing through the Red Sea and Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, disrupting global shipping. Other Iranian-backed militia groups in Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon have also periodically attacked Israel and U.S. military bases in the region. UNRWA reported that over one million people have left Rafah. Gallant: Israel is examining possible alternatives to Hamas. Netanyahu accepted an invitation from U.S. lawmakers to speak in Congress. A joint statement from Qatar, Egypt, and the U.S. urged Hamas and Israel to finalize a ceasefire agreement. Families of Israeli hostages welcomed Biden's proposed plan to end the war in Gaza.