Marking 200 days of war, Hamas calls for escalation on all fronts and praises Iran attack on Israel

The spokesperson for Hamas’s armed al-Qassam Brigades, Abu Obeida, calls for an escalation across all fronts in a televised speech marking 200 days since the start of the war sparked by the terror group’s October 7 onslaught.

In a video aired by Al Jazeera TV, Abu Obeida praises Iran’s unprecedented attack launched on Israel on April 13, saying the use of explosive drones and ballistic missiles “set new rules, drew important equations, and confused the enemy and those behind it.”

He also calls for an escalation in the West Bank and Jordan calling it “one of the most important Arab fronts.”

Jordan, which lies between Iran and Israel, was one of a number of countries involved in the interception and shooting down of Iranian drones that were heading to Israel.

“We call on the Jordanian people to step up their actions and raise their voices,” Abu Obeida says.

He says Hamas is sticking to its demands at the ongoing talks – that Israel ends its military offensive, pulls out forces from Gaza, allows the displaced to return to northern Gaza and lifts the blockade.

“The government of the occupation is stalling in reaching a hostages-swap deal and is trying to obstruct efforts by the mediators to reach a ceasefire agreement,” Abu Obeida says.

US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said yesterday that Hamas has “moved the goalpost” and changed its demands in the hostage negotiations.

Qatar and Egypt have been trying to mediate a truce and hostage deal, but Qatar’s foreign ministry’s spokesman said earlier on Tuesday all concerned parties should “show seriousness” in allowing such efforts to succeed.