Hamas activist, Ihab Al-Ghousaini speaks to NDTV
Gaza:
Israel has long alleged that Hamas uses hospitals and schools as a base to launch rockets and store weapons. Hamas has denied this charge but we met a Hamas activist, Ihab Al-Ghousaini, at Gaza's biggest hospital.
I asked him whether his presence doesn't place the hospital at risk.
To this, he said, "Well, first I am civilian, and second, I am an official employee in the government. Third, I do not have any relation with any military activities or anything, I am a media man. Fourth, every Palestinian is under risk, in front of Israeli occupants. As you see, they target everything, they don't just look for Hamas. They target all the civilians."
This is a complex debate. Hamas has both a military wing as well as a political wing. Israel doesn't distinguish between the two. It sees Hamas as a terrorist organization in its entirety. Al Ghousaini insists that Hamas does not store weapons at hospitals or schools even though the United Nations has found four such instances.
"No actually today they (UN) had a conference here in Al-Shifa hospital and they said in front of all of the media, all that was fake and made by the Israelis. There is no weapons," Al Ghousaini said.
As for when this war will end, Al Ghousaini says as long as Israel continues to fire, Hamas will retaliate.
"Well whatever we do, we are defending ourselves you know. Nobody can let someone hit you, if you just silently look at him. Yes, keep killing me, keep hitting me, I'm looking for you. I should defend myself with anyway I have, and this is what I have."
I asked him whether his presence doesn't place the hospital at risk.
To this, he said, "Well, first I am civilian, and second, I am an official employee in the government. Third, I do not have any relation with any military activities or anything, I am a media man. Fourth, every Palestinian is under risk, in front of Israeli occupants. As you see, they target everything, they don't just look for Hamas. They target all the civilians."
This is a complex debate. Hamas has both a military wing as well as a political wing. Israel doesn't distinguish between the two. It sees Hamas as a terrorist organization in its entirety. Al Ghousaini insists that Hamas does not store weapons at hospitals or schools even though the United Nations has found four such instances.
"No actually today they (UN) had a conference here in Al-Shifa hospital and they said in front of all of the media, all that was fake and made by the Israelis. There is no weapons," Al Ghousaini said.
As for when this war will end, Al Ghousaini says as long as Israel continues to fire, Hamas will retaliate.
"Well whatever we do, we are defending ourselves you know. Nobody can let someone hit you, if you just silently look at him. Yes, keep killing me, keep hitting me, I'm looking for you. I should defend myself with anyway I have, and this is what I have."
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