Hamas leader: Nations are recognizing Palestinian state due to ‘fruits of October 7’

Ghazi Hamad, a senior member of the Hamas politburo, told Al Jazeera over the weekend that the wave of Western nations moving to recognize a Palestinian state is the result of “the fruits” of Hamas’ October 7, 2023, massacre.

In a clip of his interview with the outlet yesterday, Hamad asked the interviewer: “Why are all the countries recognizing a Palestinian state today? Before October 7, did any country dare recognize a Palestinian state?”

He continues: “The fruits of October 7 are what caused the entire world to open its eyes to the Palestinian issue — and they are moving toward it with force. That is, that the Palestinian people are a people who deserve a country.”

Dozens of countries had recognized Palestinian statehood prior to the October 7 attack, though in recent weeks, many more have taken steps in that direction, including a number of major Israeli allies, citing the need to bring an end to the war in Gaza.

Responding to Hamad’s remarks, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar — who has argued that unilateral recognition at this time “rewards terror” — called out France, the United Kingdom, and Canada for announcing plans to recognize a Palestinian state in September, asking rhetorically in a post on X: “If this [is] who applauds you — what does it say about you?”