In an interview with AlJazeera late on Sunday evening, Haniyeh explained that the Palestinian resistance scored a “strategic victory” in deterrence against the zionist occupation during the “Sword of Al-Quds” battle.  

Following the May battle, Haniyeh continued, the Palestinian resistance in Gaza imposed new rules of engagement and proved that it would not be isolated from any development in major Palestinian issues, including Jerusalem, Palestinian detainees, colonial settlement expansion, and Palestinian refugees.

When asked whether he anticipates a new war in the near future, Haniyeh said: “The American strategy now is based on calming down all fronts in the region, but we always expect the worst from the israeli occupation.”

Haniyeh stressed that Hamas is not fighting a proxy war and that the Palestinian resistance is only battling the Israeli occupation in the occupied Palestinian territories.   

Speaking about his movement's relationship with Iran, Haniyeh said that Hamas adopts a strategy of openness to all parties, noting that the Islamic republic backs the resistance movements in Palestine and all resistance groups fighting the zionist occupation. 

Haniyeh cited several reasons for Iran's support for Hamas, the foremost is the religious depth of the Palestinian cause and Jerusalem to Iran and the fact that the zionist occupation is a mutual enemy.

The top Hamas official denied any disagreements within his movement, demonstrating that Hamas has constants and a strategy agreed upon by all officials at home and abroad. 

Hamas is keen on not dragging the Palestinian people into any sectarian or doctrinal conflict, Haniyeh stressed.

As for his movement's ties with Saudi Arabia, Haniyeh said: “We were shocked to know that members and officials from Hamas were detained. We are in contact with our brothers in the kingdom to turn over this inappropriate page for Saudi Arabia and Hamas.”

Hamas is in dire need of any Arab, Islamic, or international support and welcomes any unconditional backing at any level, Haniyeh pointed out.

Haniyeh continued: “Hamas doesn’t have relations with any countries at the expense of others.” 

Describing his movement's relationship with Egypt as “stable and good,” Haniyeh affirmed that Hamas is keen on maintaining close ties with Egypt, which it considers as a cornerstone of its political relations.

Haniyeh condemned the British decision to label Hamas as a “terrorist organization” as a “new sin added to its first one – the Balfour Declaration – calling on the UK government to backtrack on this move, which came in response to the zionist occupation's pressure and US cover.

Noting that the Al-Qassam Brigades is holding four zionist occupation soldiers in Gaza, the Hamas chief said that his movement is capable of forcing the zionist occupation to enter into a prisoner exchange deal to release Palestinian detainees, including the six who freed themselves from “Gilboa” prison. (ILKHA)