{"id":91577,"date":"2026-02-13T11:51:36","date_gmt":"2026-02-13T16:51:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/?p=91577"},"modified":"2026-07-15T09:26:03","modified_gmt":"2026-07-15T14:26:03","slug":"hamas-says-it-has-never-targeted-civilians-israel-carried-out-oct-7","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/hamas-says-it-has-never-targeted-civilians-israel-carried-out-oct-7\/","title":{"rendered":"Hamas says it has never targeted civilians, Israel carried out Oct. 7"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>By JNS STAFF<\/p>\n<p>(<em>JNS.org<\/em> \u2013 Hamas has never targeted civilians, hospitals, schools or mosques, a senior spokesman for the terrorist group declared in a televised interview aired this week.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_91578\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/WhatsApp-Image-2026-02-13-at-10.13.26-1320x880-1.webp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-91578\" class=\"wp-image-91578 size-medium lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/WhatsApp-Image-2026-02-13-at-10.13.26-1320x880-1-300x200.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/WhatsApp-Image-2026-02-13-at-10.13.26-1320x880-1-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/WhatsApp-Image-2026-02-13-at-10.13.26-1320x880-1-1024x683.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/WhatsApp-Image-2026-02-13-at-10.13.26-1320x880-1-768x512.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/WhatsApp-Image-2026-02-13-at-10.13.26-1320x880-1.webp 1320w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 300px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 300\/200;\" \/><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-91578\" class=\"wp-image-91578 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/WhatsApp-Image-2026-02-13-at-10.13.26-1320x880-1-300x200.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/WhatsApp-Image-2026-02-13-at-10.13.26-1320x880-1-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/WhatsApp-Image-2026-02-13-at-10.13.26-1320x880-1-1024x683.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/WhatsApp-Image-2026-02-13-at-10.13.26-1320x880-1-768x512.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/WhatsApp-Image-2026-02-13-at-10.13.26-1320x880-1.webp 1320w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/noscript><\/a><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-91578\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Hamas spokesman Osama Hamdan in 2024. (Photo credit: Student News Agency via Wikimedia Commons)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Osama Hamdan called all such accusations lies and blamed Israel exclusively for civilian deaths in the recent war, speaking in an interview with Norway\u2019s public broadcaster&nbsp;<em>NRK<\/em>&nbsp;that was conducted in Istanbul.<\/p>\n<p>He rejected any possibility of the terrorist group laying down its weapons, saying that \u201cthe resistance will be continued\u201d despite the devastation in Gaza.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe will not disarm without an end to the occupation forever, Israel returning to pre-\u201967 borders, including Jerusalem; and the right of return to Palestinians,\u201d he said in the interview.<\/p>\n<p>Hamas\u2019s refusal to disarm flies in the face of the U.S.-mediated ceasefire framework, which envisions the terrorist group\u2019s disarmament and the dismantling of its \u201cmilitary\u201d capabilities as a core element of any sustainable postwar arrangement in Gaza.<\/p>\n<p>Israel has repeatedly insisted that any lasting ceasefire or postwar arrangement in Gaza must include the full disarmament of Hamas and the dismantling of its \u201cmilitary\u201d and governing capabilities.<\/p>\n<p>During the interview, Hamdan claimed that the Oct. 7, 2023, massacre at the Supernova music festival was carried out by Israel and dismissed eyewitness testimony and body-camera footage showing Hamas gunmen targeting civilians as fabricated.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"media-oembed-video\">\n<div class=\"twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered\"><iframe id=\"twitter-widget-0\" title=\"X Post\" data-src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/embed\/Tweet.html?creatorScreenName=JNS_org&amp;dnt=true&amp;embedId=twitter-widget-0&amp;features=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%3D%3D&amp;frame=false&amp;hideCard=false&amp;hideThread=false&amp;id=2021692316990447860&amp;lang=en&amp;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.jns.org%2Fhamas-says-it-has-never-targeted-civilians-israel-carried-out-oct-7%2F&amp;sessionId=d82389d5f48175b334b26504f7c4248e03081dea&amp;siteScreenName=JNS_org&amp;theme=light&amp;widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&amp;width=550px\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" data-tweet-id=\"2021692316990447860\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" class=\"lazyload\" data-load-mode=\"1\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>Addressing Hamas\u2019s rule in Gaza, Hamdan said the organization retains democratic legitimacy because it won Palestinian legislative elections in 2006\u2014the last elections held in the territory\u2014while acknowledging that most Gazans today were not yet born at the time. He denied that fear or repression exists in the Strip and insisted Palestinians are free to criticize Hamas.<\/p>\n<p>He also defended Hamas\u2019s treatment of Palestinians accused of collaboration, describing beatings, torture and public executions as lawful and consistent with what he termed \u201cPalestinian law,\u201d including executions carried out within 48 hours of sentencing.<\/p>\n<p>When asked what responsibility Hamas bears for the destruction in Gaza, Hamdan blamed Israel entirely and declined to acknowledge Hamas\u2019s role in initiating the war on Oct. 7.<\/p>\n<div style=\"padding-bottom:20px; padding-top:10px;\" class=\"hupso-share-buttons\"><!-- Hupso Share Buttons - https:\/\/www.hupso.com\/share\/ --><a class=\"hupso_toolbar\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hupso.com\/share\/\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/static.hupso.com\/share\/buttons\/share-medium.png\" style=\"border:0px; padding-top: 5px; float:left;\" alt=\"Share Button\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" class=\"lazyload\" \/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.hupso.com\/share\/buttons\/share-medium.png\" style=\"border:0px; padding-top: 5px; float:left;\" alt=\"Share Button\"\/><\/noscript><\/a><script type=\"text\/javascript\">var hupso_services_t=new Array(\"Twitter\",\"Facebook\",\"Google Plus\",\"Pinterest\",\"Linkedin\",\"Tumblr\",\"Email\");var hupso_background_t=\"#EAF4FF\";var hupso_border_t=\"#66CCFF\";var hupso_toolbar_size_t=\"medium\";var hupso_image_folder_url = \"\";var hupso_url_t=\"\";var hupso_title_t=\"Hamas%20says%20it%20has%20never%20targeted%20civilians%2C%20Israel%20carried%20out%20Oct.%207\";<\/script><script type=\"text\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/static.hupso.com\/share\/js\/share_toolbar.js\"><\/script><!-- Hupso Share Buttons --><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":91578,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[26,27],"tags":[40,8790,8795,15062,3045],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/91577"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=91577"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/91577\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":91579,"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/91577\/revisions\/91579"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/91578"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=91577"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=91577"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=91577"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}