Abbas’ advisor: Israel ”exploits” Oct. 7 massacre “to escalate their satanic attacks and plans” against the Palestinians
PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas’ Advisor on Religious Affairs and Islamic Relations Mahmoud Al-Habbash: “The terrorist junta ruling Israel is attempting to exploit what is happening in the Gaza Strip (i.e., Israeli counter-terror operation against Hamas) and the preoccupation of the world and the Palestinian people with the unlimited massacre against our Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip to escalate their satanic attacks, violations, plots, and plans against Jerusalem and against the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque in particular… They are waging an unlimited war against us all, against the Palestinian people, against the Palestinian people’s holy sites, and against all the holy sites of the Islamic nation. Not only the Palestinian people is the target – if the occupation state (i.e., Israel) would succeed in eliminating the Palestinian people, Heaven forbid, the Arab and Islamic peoples will be next in line… Israel did not need what happened on Oct. 7 [2023] (i.e., Hamas’ massacre) to attack the Palestinian people, because it was already actually in an attack against the Palestinian people. However, it exploited this event, the day of Oct. 7 to escalate its aggression against the Palestinian people and obtain American and Western support.”
[PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas’ Advisor on Religious Affairs and Islamic Relations Mahmoud Al-Habbash, Facebook page, Dec. 6, 2023]
Mahmoud Al-Habbash also serves as Supreme Shari’ah Judge and Chairman of the Supreme Council for Shari'ah Justice.
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.