News - Middle East: The senior leader of the Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas, Fawzi Barhoum, said that the ongoing aggression by the Zionist entity on the Gaza Strip for the past two years has resulted in horrific massacres against civilians, noting that 95 percent of the martyrs and wounded are unarmed civilians — a documented genocide that constitutes war crimes not subject to limitation.

In a press statement on Tuesday, Barhoum revealed that the Israeli enemy has executed and tortured more than 80 Palestinian detainees to death inside its prisons, in blatant violation of international law and humanitarian conventions. He urged international human rights organizations to take urgent action to hold the enemy’s leaders accountable.

Barhoum described the Al-Aqsa Flood operation as a strategic turning point in the struggle against the Zionist occupation, marking “the true beginning of the countdown to end the occupation of Palestine.” He emphasized that the Palestinian resistance is now more united, capable, and resilient than ever before.

He added that the Hamas delegation participating in the Cairo negotiations is working seriously to overcome obstacles toward a comprehensive agreement that meets the aspirations of the Palestinian people. The movement’s top priority, he said, is to stop the aggression, ensure the entry of humanitarian aid, and facilitate the swift return of displaced families to their homes.

Barhoum further affirmed that Hamas seeks an agreement that guarantees the immediate start of Gaza’s reconstruction under the supervision of a Palestinian technocratic body, free from political interference or external control.

The Hamas leader expressed deep appreciation for the strong support provided by the Islamic Republic of Iran, Yemen, and the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon, describing these positions as an honorable reflection of the unity of the Resistance Axis in confronting the occupation and US hegemony.

He called on all Palestinian factions and forces to unify ranks behind the path of resistance, asserting it as the only way to reclaim national rights and end the occupation.

The Al-Aqsa Flood operation, launched by the Palestinian resistance on 7 October 2023, marked a pivotal moment in the decades-long conflict with the Zionist entity. The large-scale assault shattered long-standing security assumptions in Tel Aviv and triggered an extensive Israeli military campaign on Gaza that has continued for two years, leaving tens of thousands of Palestinians dead and entire neighborhoods in ruins.

The war has since evolved into a wider regional confrontation, as the Axis of Resistance — including forces in Yemen, Lebanon, Iraq, and Iran — intensified coordinated military pressure on the Israeli enemy and its Western backers. Yemen’s missile and drone operations in the Red Sea, Hezbollah’s sustained attacks along the Lebanese border, and resistance activity in Iraq and Syria have all reshaped the strategic landscape in the region.

Amid the ongoing aggression and blockade on Gaza, regional powers have condemned the United States for its direct military and political support of the Zionist entity, which many view as enabling war crimes and collective punishment. The confrontation, now in its second year, continues to redefine alliances and balance of power across the Middle East, positioning the Palestinian cause once again at the center of regional and international discourse.