Hamas Attack Inspirational for Other Terror Groups, Will Lead to Repetition: Afghan’s Saleh to News18 – News18

Afghanistan’s acting president-in-exile Amrullah Saleh, who spoke to News18 exclusively from an undisclosed location, said the surprise attack by Hamas on Israel will be “inspirational for other terror groups and even lead to repetition”. This is Saleh’s first-ever interview in almost two years to any media publication around the world.

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“It has established Iran and Hamas as masters of security in the Middle-East, above Saudi, UAE and Bahrain. Saudi and Israel can join hands, but the sentiment on the streets won’t change…It has immediately brought the Ukraine issue to number 2, which is good for Moscow. Israel’s retaliation will also act as a precedent, which the US will now not be able to stop… This is what Hamas wanted. It is inspirational for any militant group. It will lead to repetition,” said Saleh, who is fighting against the Taliban in Afghanistan.

Israel witnessed a surprise and unprecedented multifront attack – by air, land and sea – by the Hamas militant group, which rules the Gaza Strip, in its southern parts on Saturday morning.

The death toll, last updated over 3,000, is expected to go much higher as Israeli army on Tuesday said it found around 1,500 bodies of Hamas militants around the Gaza Strip. Meanwhile, the fierce battles continued between Hamas gunmen and Israeli troops in Gaza after the Palestinian military group fired over 5,000 rockets toward Israel killing thousands of people.

Israel’s military scoured the country’s south for Hamas fighters and guarded breaches in its border fence with tanks on Monday, as it pounded the Gaza Strip from the air and mustered for a campaign its prime minister said would destroy the military and governing capabilities of the militant group.

Saleh listed the three scenarios to end the crisis. “One, occupation, which will be tough for Israel as it will have to fight and feed the enemy. Another is a UN-led peacekeeping force which is tougher, considering the troops may not want to enter a volatile region. Third is negotiations with Hamas, which will give them recognition…”

According to Saleh, the security interest of countries such as Turkey, Egypt, Iran, Russia is at stake in the ongoing situation. “Russia doesn’t even recognize Hamas as a terrorist organization. The world isn’t divided along very clear lines as Washington and Tel Aviv wish. It is far (more) complicated (than that)….”