BBC – a platform for Hamas propaganda: Israeli hostages are our “guests... we want to release them”
BBC Arabic is a platform for Hamas propaganda: Interview with Hamas Political Bureau member Musa Abu Marzouq.
BBC Interviewer: "Let's move on to the last topic, the issue of prisoners (i.e., Israeli hostages) …”
Hamas Political Bureau member Musa Abu Marzouq: “By Allah, we are attempting to make a list of all these guests (i.e., Israeli hostages), who from the first day we have considered as guests, because really they are not in one place, but we need a ceasefire... What interests the West, what interests America, and what interests the Israelis is not our top priority. We treat them (i.e., Israeli hostages) as we treat our sons, our children, and our wives. There is no difference between these [Israeli] civilians [and us]… We don’t even need them, and we want to release them, but let them do a ceasefire at least!
[BBC Arabic, YouTube channel, Nov. 7, 2023]
Hamas war on Israel October 2023 - At least 1,200 Israelis, including over 1,000 civilians, were murdered and over 4,800 wounded, in addition to approximately 244 who were abducted into the Gaza Strip (including 110 later released or liberated and at least 26 later killed), in a Hamas terror war that began when approximately 3,000 Hamas terrorists broke through Israel's security fence at the Gaza Strip border and launched a surprise attack, taking control of several Israeli towns and attacking a music festival on the Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah, which fell on the Sabbath, Oct. 7, 2023. During the massacre the terrorists tortured, raped, shot, beheaded, and burned their victims alive, murdering entire families and leaving at least 21 children without parents. Hamas terrorists also fired at least 5,000 rockets at Israeli population centers. In response, Israel launched Operation Iron Swords to counter the Hamas terror threat. Hezbollah terrorists in Lebanon joined Hamas' terror war starting from the following day, attacking Israel from the north. Occasional rocket launches and shootings continued from Lebanon throughout the war. A ceasefire and prisoner exchange deal began on Nov. 24, 2023, in which Israel agreed to release 150 terrorist prisoners, pause drone surveillance in the Gaza Strip, and allow movement between the northern and southern Gaza Strip, in return for 50 Israeli female and child hostages held by Hamas. The deal was subsequently extended with additional releases, until Hamas violated the agreement and resumed attacking on Dec. 1, 2023.