A Hamas leader has denied that Iran or Lebanese Hezbollah had any direct involvement in Hamas’s attack on Israel, but warned that they are prepared to join the fight if Israel retaliates forcefully. Ali Barakeh, a member of Hamas’s exiled leadership, made these statements in an interview with The Associated Press. He acknowledged that Iran and Hezbollah had previously aided Hamas, but stated that since the 2014 Gaza war, Hamas has been producing its own weaponry and training its own fighters. Barakeh also claimed that only a small number of Hamas commanders knew the detailed plans for the attack that killed hundreds of Israelis. In contrast, a Hamas spokesman told the BBC that Iran did back the attack, and a report in The Wall Street Journal indicated that senior members of Hamas and Hezbollah admitted Iranian involvement in planning the attack.
Israel responded to the attack by declaring war on Hamas and launching a massive military operation to weaken the terrorist organization. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Israel was forced into this war by a “horrendous enemy.” The Hamas leader, Mr. Barakeh, expressed surprise at the success of the attack in penetrating Israeli defenses but reiterated that there was no direct involvement from Iran or Hezbollah. However, he warned that these allies would join the fight if Gaza was subjected to a war of annihilation.
While Iran’s mission to the United Nations denied direct involvement in the attack, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that the U.S. currently lacks concrete evidence to directly implicate Iran. However, he acknowledged Iran’s longstanding support for Hamas. The Israel Defense Forces called the attack the “bloodiest, biggest, and most gruesome” in Israel’s history, comparing it to the 9/11 attacks and Pearl Harbor. The majority of the deaths and injuries were civilians.
The ongoing military response by Israel faces challenges due to Israeli hostages being held by Hamas in Gaza. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant announced a “complete siege” on Gaza, including cutting off electricity and blocking the entry of food and fuel. Israeli President Isaac Herzog described the attackers as “monsters” and noted that this was the largest number of Jews killed in one day since the Holocaust.