Hamas: Our priority is the immediate cessation of the occupation's aggression and the genocide war on Gaza.

Fawzi Barhoum, a leader in the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), confirmed that the movement's priority at this stage is the "immediate cessation of the Zionist aggression and the genocide war on the Gaza Strip," reiterating the movement's commitment to the fixed national rights of the Palestinian people and defending their aspirations for liberation and independence.

This was stated in a speech he delivered on behalf of the movement on the occasion of the second anniversary of the "Al-Aqsa Flood" battle, which coincides with the seventh of October. Barhoum saluted the great Palestinian people in Gaza, the West Bank, Jerusalem, the occupied interior, and the refugee camps, praising their legendary steadfastness despite two years of bombardment, destruction, siege, and starvation.

He also extended a special greeting to the resistance fighters stationed on the front lines, and to the prisoners, the wounded, and the displaced, whom he described as "the makers of dignity and icons of heroism," noting that their sacrifices "have written a history of pride for our people and our nation."

Barhoum held the Israeli occupation responsible for the "genocidal war, systematic starvation, and comprehensive destruction" that has continued for two full years, emphasizing that this war has exceeded all humanitarian and legal norms, and that what the Gaza Strip has endured has no parallel in modern history in terms of the scale of destruction and the number of victims.

He added that the Palestinian people faced the "Zionist killing machine" with rare resilience and an unbreakable will, despite forced displacement and deprivation of the most basic necessities of life, as they confronted "massacres that make humanity blush."

Barhoum presented the "horrific toll of the aggression" in numbers, stating that more than 67,000 Palestinians have been martyred, and about 170,000 have been injured, while more than 15,000 remain missing under the rubble, pointing out that the vast majority of the victims are women and children.

He clarified that about 95% of the victims of the aggression are unarmed civilians, considering this a "stain of shame on the forehead of the occupation and all those who provided it with political and military cover."

He noted that the war in the West Bank and Jerusalem has not been less dangerous, as Israel continues its policy of annexation and displacement and imposes temporal and spatial division on the Al-Aqsa Mosque, which he deemed a "fascist plan that threatens regional and international security."

Barhoum addressed the suffering of Palestinian prisoners, confirming that more than 80 prisoners have died inside Israeli prisons due to torture, deliberate medical neglect, and deprivation of food and medicine.

He considered these crimes a new chapter in the systematic genocide aimed at breaking the will of the Palestinians, calling on international human rights organizations to assume their responsibilities in holding the leaders of the occupation accountable before the International Criminal Court.

In his remarks, Barhoum praised the steadfastness of the Palestinian people and their embrace of resistance, affirming that this popular embrace is "the solid rock upon which all the occupation's liquidation plans have shattered," adding that the cohesion of the Palestinian internal front represents the true support for the continuation of resistance in the face of aggression.

Barhoum confirmed that the "Al-Aqsa Flood" battle was a historical response to attempts to liquidate the Palestinian cause, indicating that it was not just a military confrontation but a "decisive turning point" in the struggle against the occupation, as it contributed to exposing its colonial and expansionist nature and revealed the falsehood of its claims to the world.

He also stressed that the war waged by the occupation for two years is not directed solely against Hamas or the resistance factions, but is a "comprehensive war against the entire Palestinian existence," aimed at breaking the will of the people and erasing their national identity.

He warned of the Israeli expansionist intentions that target the lands and sovereignty of Arab and Islamic countries, which, according to him, requires a firm Arab and Islamic stance that goes beyond statements of condemnation to practical deterrent steps.

Regarding the political track, Barhoum indicated that the movement has dealt with a high level of responsibility regarding all proposals for a ceasefire over the past two years, explaining that the Hamas delegation participating in the Cairo negotiations seeks to "overcome all obstacles to reach a fair agreement that meets the aspirations of the Palestinian people."

He stated that the movement's main demands include a comprehensive and permanent ceasefire, the withdrawal of the occupation army from the Strip, the entry of aid without restrictions, ensuring the return of the displaced, and starting reconstruction under the supervision of a Palestinian technocratic