Al-Qassam spokesman calls for ‘West Bank escalation’ following ceasefire agreement

In a pre-recorded speech delivered through Hamas’s outlets, Al-Jazeera, spokesperson Abu Obeida also lauded Iran and its proxies and warned against attempts to integrate Israel in the region.

By OHAD MERLIN JANUARY 19, 2025 21:34

A masked person said to be Abu Obaida, the military spokesperson of Hamas' armed wing, the al-Qassam Brigades, speaks commemorating the one year anniversary of the October 7, 2023 attack against Israel, at a location given as Gaza, in this screengrab from handout video released October 7, 2024. (photo credit: Hamas Armed Wing Media/Handout via REUTERS)

Abu Obeida, spokesman for Hamas’s Al-Qassam militia, called on the West Bank to escalate confrontations with Israel and lauded Iran, the Houthis, and Hezbollah for their aid. These remarks were delivered during an extensive prerecorded address following the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, where the spokesman also stressed that his organization sees itself fully committed to the implementation of the ceasefire agreement.

Abu Obeida’s speech began with Quranic verses which reprimand the Israelites for their “arrogance” and blame them for causing “corruption in the land” twice.

The verses also threaten the Israelites with “Allah’s servants,” which would “ravage their homes,” and warn that their enemies will disgrace them and “enter that place of worship as they entered it the first time, and utterly destroy whatever would fall into their hands,” perhaps referring to Hamas’s deadly incursion to Israeli communities on October 7th, 2023, which left 1200 dead and 250 kidnapped.

Al-Qassam’s spokesman then addressed Palestinians in Gaza, Jerusalem, and the West Bank, characterizing the conflict as “a historic battle” that “ignited the spark of Palestinian liberation and demonstrated the capabilities of the rightful owners of the land,” lauding Gazans and Al-Qassam with many a superlative, and commending them for their steadfastness and defending of Jerusalem.

Based on an old Islamic tradition dubbed by some Hamas affiliates “the Hadith (oral tradition) of the Al-Aqsa Flood,” he referred to the Palestinians in Gaza as "Al-Ta'ifa Al-Mansura" (The Victorious Group), a mystical group of people who originates in the Levant and will bear witness to the ‘reign of Allah’ in the world at the end of days.

Hamas spokesperson, Abu Obeida. (credit: SCREENSHOT/X)

Addressing the toll of the conflict, Abu Obeida acknowledged the “extensive sacrifices” made by Palestinians, describing a “great caravan of martyrs” over more than 15 months of fighting, which he stressed were carried out by all Palestinian factions “in unison.”

He praised what he called the steadfastness of Gaza's people under what he described as impossible conditions, comparing their resolve to historical religious examples of perseverance under difficulty.

A broad regional impact

Abu Obeida also emphasized what he portrayed as the broader regional impact of the conflict, asserting that while it began in Gaza, it transformed the entire region's dynamics.

He also listed what he considered significant achievements against Israel, including military impacts, blows to Israel’s economy, the evacuation of tens of thousands of Israelis from their homes, and what he described as “the exposure of the occupation's true nature to the world,” including the legal persecution against Israeli soldiers and leaders across the globe.

Regarding the ceasefire agreement, Abu Obeida confirmed that Hamas and other Palestinian factions had been seeking to reach such an agreement for many months, even alleging that a similar agreement could have been reached a year prior, expectedly placing the blame for the delay on the Israeli government.

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He affirmed their commitment to all aspects of the ceasefire agreement, including the exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian inmates, while threatening that the Israeli hostages’ well-being depends on Israel’s commitment to the agreement.

Abu Obeida lauded Hamas’s forces for what he called an “unequal battle” in terms of both military capabilities and ethics, accusing Israel of indiscriminately targeting civilians while claiming that Hamas targeted only soldiers, blaming Israel for the death of some of its hostages.

The speech included extensive gratitude to Hamas’s leaders and regional backers. He mentioned three of Hamas’s leaders who were assassinated by Israel: Ismail Haniyeh, Saleh Al-Arouri, and Yahya Sinwar, whose death scene he dubbed “iconic,” and curiously did not mention Al-Qassam’s leader, Mohammad Deif.

Referring to regional supporters, Abu Obeida mentioned specifically the Houthis in Yemen, whom he praised for what he called their welcome intervention that was felt globally; Hezbollah in Lebanon, thanking them for what he described as their “significant sacrifices” in the conflict; and the Islamic Republic of Iran, whom he thanked for their “continuous support” and engagement in the battle, especially during the instances of the direct Iranian targeting of Israel.

Despite reiterating Hamas’s commitment to a ceasefire, Abu Obeida dedicated significant attention to the West Bank, calling for increased confrontations with Israel and unity among Palestinian factions there. He also lauded the “resistance in Jenin,” dropping any mention of the Palestinian Authority’s military campaign targeting armed militants there.

More on regional affairs, Abu Obeida warned against what he described as attempts to “integrate” Israel in the region, claiming that these would fail in light of what he termed “increased global awareness of the Palestinian cause.”

The speech concluded with messages of determination, stressing that Hamas “shares the pain” of Gazans and promising reconstruction efforts in the Strip, as well as “continued resistance until complete victory and inevitable triumph.”