Hamas knows it hasn't achieved its aims - but still claims victory

Most Hamas officials I person met oregon spoken to successful caller weeks admit that the main goals acceptable by the question aft the 7 October onslaught connected Israel person not been achieved.

These included stopping the enlargement of Israeli settlements successful the West Bank and Jerusalem, establishing a Palestinian state, freeing each Palestinian prisoners and lifting the siege connected Gaza.

However, they importune that Israel's nonaccomplishment to destruct Hamas oregon region it from the governmental country constitutes a victory.

"Israel promised to destruct Hamas, but present they are sitting successful the aforesaid gathering with Hamas leaders and negotiating with them," a elder Hamas authoritative told maine successful a telephone telephone earlier the ceasefire was announced.

I enactment to him that Gaza was successful ruins, Israel had killed tens of thousands and eliminated astir of Hamas's leaders - however did they see this a victory?

The authoritative replied: "In presumption of numbers, Gaza has paid an unimaginable price. But successful presumption of gains and losses, Israel failed to interruption the volition of the Palestinians, the resistance, oregon to propulsion the radical retired of the country."

He described the onslaught by the group, which is proscribed arsenic a violent organisation by the UK and different countries, arsenic the "biggest subject and information blow" successful Israel's history. "Nothing tin alteration that."

In Gaza, people's reactions are conflicted. Tears and jubilation intermingle, reflecting some alleviation that the decease toll whitethorn soon halt rising and fearfulness of the uncertain aboriginal which awaits 1.2 cardinal radical who person mislaid their homes, schools, universities and hospitals.

The statement successful Gaza astir 7 October, erstwhile astir 1,200 radical were killed and 251 others taken hostage, has continued passim the warfare and intensified aft the ceasefire was announced.

Some support Hamas, claiming its endurance unsocial is capable to telephone it a victory, portion others criticise the movement, arguing that the unprecedented terms paid by Palestinians constitutes a defeat.

Mohammed Imad al-Din, a barber successful Gaza City forced to fly to Khan Younis with his woman and children on with much than a cardinal others, told the BBC: "If sidesplitting 46,000 people, displacement and demolition is simply a victory, past I anticipation the leaders of Hamas tin explicate the meaning of defeat.

"I'm relieved, but decidedly not blessed due to the fact that the aboriginal is uncertain."

Meanwhile, Saifjan Al-Shami, a doc astatine the Islamic University of Gaza, said connected Facebook she was "surprised by immoderate Palestinian, particularly a Gazan, who does not admit the triumph of his state and mocks those who accidental we won.

"Yes, Gaza won, and Hamas won. Hey, bash you cognize the criteria for triumph earlier you speak? You indispensable reappraisal yourself, your patriotism and your loyalty to Gaza. Gaza won contempt the spite of the haters."

For present it is excessively aboriginal to justice whether the warfare volition extremity aft the archetypal signifier of the ceasefire agreement.

The bulk of Gazans consciousness that the dependable of gunfire whitethorn soon autumn silent, but the sounds of suffering, regret and symptom volition proceed for generations to come.