Captured Hamas Minister Calls Its Leader ‘Crazy’ and Tells IDF He Has ‘Destroyed’ Gaza and Must Be Defeated

A former Hamas communications minister captured and interrogated by Israeli security officials told his captors that no one in Gaza backs the terrorist group’s current leader, Yahya Sinwar, and that he and his cohorts have “destroyed the Gaza strip,” according to Israeli press reports.The former minister, Yousef al-Mansi, told Shin Bet agents questioning him that “This is a group of crazy people that [Yahya] Sinwar leads. They destroyed the Gaza Strip. Set it back 200 years,” according to the report.In a 14-minute video of the interview released by the security services, Mr. al-Mansi says no one at the Gaza strip respects or likes the current head of Hamas. “There are people who, day and night, pray that God will free us from him,” he reportedly said.“People in the Gaza Strip say that Sinwar and his group destroyed us,” he added. “We must get rid of them.” Much of the criticism revolves around what Mr. al-Mansi said was the Hamas leader’s propensity for “delusions of grandeur” and refusal to accept counsel from anyone around him.Mr. al-Mansi also told investigators that the actions taken by Hamas on October 7 run counter to the precepts of the Palestinians’ Islamic faith. “This is heresy, madness,” he told interrogators. “What they did is unacceptable according to logic, religion or intellect. Those who are responsible for this are Sinwar and his group.”The Shin Bet did not disclose when the interview was recorded or how long Mr. al-Mansi has been in captivity.Release of the video comes amidst increasing reports of tensions between Hamas terrorists and Palestinian residents of the Gaza Strip, especially as living conditions deteriorate. Videos and images circulating on social media in recent days show civilians throwing stones at Hamas terrorists who commandeered a shipment of humanitarian relief meant for civilians on the strip. The Hamas fighters can be seen shooting at the civilians in one video.Israeli television channels have carried reports from within the strip quoting civilians in the areas as “praying” that Israel will destroy Hamas and liberate them. Expressing such sentiments openly would have been unthinkable before the war began on October 7, according to the report, but so far those sentiments have not translated into action.Civilians who spoke on camera to Channel 12 said that, despite the harsh conditions, “Hamas will not surrender even if we all die.”In a video statement released Sunday evening, Prime Minister Netanyahu said dozens of Hamas fighters have surrendered to Israeli forces in recent days. He said it marked “the beginning of the end” for Hamas and called on the remaining fighters to turn themselves in or die. “I say to Hamas terrorists,” he added, according to Israeli press reports, “It’s over. Until you die for Sinwar. Surrender — now.”One of America’s most prominent Jewish lawmakers, Senator Sanders, said on CBS’s “Face the Nation” Sunday that a cease-fire along the lines of what many of his fellow liberals in the West are clamoring for would be impossible with the current Hamas leadership.“I don’t know how you can have a permanent cease-fire with Hamas, who has said before October 7 and after October 7, that they want to destroy Israel and they want a permanent war,” Mr. Sanders said. “I don’t know how you have a permanent cease-fire with an attitude like that… I think Israel has the right to defend itself and to go after Hamas, not the Palestinian people.”

Captured Hamas Minister Calls Its Leader ‘Crazy’ and Tells IDF He Has ‘Destroyed’ Gaza and Must Be Defeated

Captured Hamas Minister Calls Its Leader ‘Crazy’ and Tells IDF He Has ‘Destroyed’ Gaza and Must Be Defeated

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