Israel’s massacres won’t grant it ‘legitimacy’: Hamas on 31st anniversary of Ibrahimi Mosque tragedy

On the 31st anniversary of a horrendous massacre against Palestinians by an extremist illegal Israeli settler, the resistance movement Hamas reaffirms that the regime’s bloodletting and crimes will not grant it “legitimacy or sovereignty” over even an inch of the Palestinian territories.

“Nor will they (the regime’s atrocities) break the will of the Palestinian people to resist the occupation,” the movement added in a statement on Wednesday, marking the anniversary of the massacre that was carried out by Baruch Goldstein on February 25, 1994.

The atrocity saw 29 Palestinian worshippers being killed and dozens more, including children and the elderly, suffering wounds inside the Ibrahimi Mosque in the city of al-Khalil (Hebron) in the south of the Israeli-occupied West Bank, while Israeli occupation forces and police were providing cover for the attack. An additional 26 Palestinians were killed later during the forces’ suppression of Palestinian protests.

‘Pattern of aggression’

“This crime is not an isolated incident, but part of a systematic campaign of aggression that continues to this day,” Hamas stated.

Hamas: Ibrahimi Mosque massacre testament to Israel’s criminal policy

On the anniversary of the 1994 Ibrahimi Mosque massacre, Hamas has strongly condemned the Israeli regime’s ongoing aggression in the occupied territories.

The group cited the regime’s ongoing occupation, illegal settlement expansion, and desecration of Palestinian sanctities as other instances of the aggression, denouncing them all as “blatant violations of the international law.”

Hamas drew direct parallels between the 1994 massacre and Tel Aviv’s ongoing bloodshed of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, which, since October 2023, has led to the deaths of more than 48,300 people, mostly women and children, across the already-heavily-blockaded coastal sliver.

The movement also condemned the regime’s increased illegal settlement activities and escalated deadly incursions in the West Bank, including the holy occupied city of al-Quds, which have included home demolitions, systematic attacks on Palestinian worshippers at al-Aqsa Mosque in al-Quds, and attempts at land annexation.

It stressed that these crimes, despite international condemnations, persisted due to Western support for the regime and global inaction.

Affirmation of ongoing resistance, call for justice

Marking the solemn anniversary, Hamas further reiterated its commitment to defending Palestinians as well as their land and sanctities, besides reaffirming the steadfastness of all other Palestinians across Gaza, the West Bank, al-Quds, and the diaspora in their right to resist occupation.

Hamas stressed that the spirit of resistance remained unwavering and continued to shape the Palestinian struggle today.

“The Palestinian people will never forget nor forgive the crimes of the occupation. Every massacre, every act of aggression strengthens our resolve. The resistance will persist until we reclaim our rights, achieve our aspirations, and establish our independent state with al-Quds as its capital,” it declared.

The movement honored all Palestinian martyrs, who had sacrificed their lives in the struggle for freedom and independence, and called for the immediate release of all Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails.

Hamas also renewed its call for international institutions, including the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court, to prosecute Israeli officials for their war crimes. “The perpetrators of these massacres must not escape justice, nor should the world succumb to US pressure shielding Israel from accountability,” the statement read.

The group, meanwhile, highlighted the Palestinian resistance’s response to the Ibrahimi Mosque massacre, which marked a turning point in the struggle. It underscored that the resistance had since evolved, with operations targeting Israeli forces and illegal settlers intensifying in the face of escalating oppression.

It recalled key resistance figures, such as Yahya Ayyash and Mohammed al-Deif, who played instrumental roles in striking back at the occupation following the massacre.

One such response was the capture of Israeli trooper Nachshon Wachsman in 1994, an operation aimed at securing the release of Palestinian prisoners.

Also on Wednesday, two videos surfaced, one depicting al-Deif, who was assassinated by the regime in Gaza earlier this year, issuing an ultimatum against the regime for liberating more than 200 Palestinian prisoners.

The footage features his warning that Hamas would kill Wachsman unless the regime freed the Palestinians, who included several prominent figures like Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, Hamas’ founder, in exchange for Wachsman’s release.

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