Hamas: October 7 was an ‘extraordinary military achievement’

In a statement marking three years since the October 7 massacre, Hamas military wing spokesman Abu Obeida says that “October 7 was an extraordinary military achievement, with God’s help”

“Enemies and friends alike acknowledged the scale of the planning, execution and deception,” he says.

Abu Obeida adds that three years have passed since “the arms of the fighters shattered the occupation’s security doctrine. There is no deterrence left. Palestine will not forget those who stood by its side, especially those who shed their blood for it.”

Abu Obeida also appears to suggest that Hamas would like to see attacks on Israel launched from new directions, including from the west.

“Everyone saw how the drones that came from various fronts [Yemen and Iraq] deprived the enemy of sleep. What would happen if a front were also opened against it from the west?” he says.

On October 7, 2023, terrorists rampaged through southern Israel communities, an outdoor rave and military bases, massacring some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting 251 to the Strip amid acts of depraved violence and sexual assault.

The ensuing war between Israel and Hamas killed over 74,200 people in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry in the enclave, although the toll does not differentiate between combatants and civilians. The Israeli military believes that Hamas’s overall toll is largely accurate, with IDF officials estimating that two to three civilians were killed for every dead terror operative. Israel has long accused Hamas of fighting from civilian areas, including homes, hospitals, schools, and mosques.

The fighting has also caused widespread destruction in the Strip.