Hamas deputy chief lies: We don’t target civilians, we only attacked IDF, Israel planned Gaza offensive

Hamas’s deputy leader Saleh al-Arouri says that Hamas does not target civilians “as a policy,” and that its Saturday attack only targeted the IDF’s Gaza Division stationed along the border — despite overwhelming evidence, footage and testimonies that its terrorists systematically targeted and massacred civilians.

“We knew that there were [Israeli] plans to launch a massive attack against us after the [Jewish] holidays,” al-Arouri says, according to a report in the pro-Hamas Shehab news outlet. “We preempted it by surprising the commanders of the Southern Command,” which includes the Gaza Division.

He provides no evidence that Israel had planned to attack Gaza.

“The bloated army collapsed in less than three hours, faster than we expected. Only 1,200 members of the Izz al-Din al-Qassam brigades entered the enemy camps,” he says, referencing Hamas’s military wing. Israel has said forces have killed 1,500 terrorists in Israeli territory.

Al-Arouri reiterates that prisoner swap negotiations will only take place after the end of the battle, and adds that in the meantime, the terror group has devised a defensive plan that is “much stronger” than the offensive one, and that it is prepared to respond to any action Israel will take.

“We are fighting for the world to recognize the right of our people to live like other peoples,” the terror leader continues.

“How is it right for a soldier to be wearing an Israeli army uniform, and then it turns out that the soldier holds American or French citizenship?” he asks.

With regard to the potential expansion of the fighting to other fronts — mainly the Hamas-allied Hezbollah terror group — al-Arouri says that “all possibilities are 100% open.”