BICOM

Hamas leader Yayha Sinwar told Israeli newspaper Yediot Ahronot that war between Hamas and Israel achieves nothing.

In a rare interview due to be published on Friday he said: “A new war is not in anybody’s interest. Certainly not ours. Who wants to confront a nuclear power with four slingshots? You achieve nothing through war.” He added: “It is important to make it clear: if we are attacked, we will defend ourselves. As always. And we will have another war. But then, in a year, you will still be here and I will again tell you that you achieve nothing through war.”

Sinwar said Hamas is asking for “quiet in exchange for quiet and in exchange for an end to the siege. The siege is not quiet” he added. Speaking about the possibility of a prisoner exchange deal with Israel, Sinwar said: “It’s more than important. It’s absolutely vital. It’s not a political question. It’s a moral question. I consider this a duty. I will do anything to release everyone who is still in prison.”

The Daily Telegraph published an interview yesterday in which Sinwar told a group of Palestinian writers in the summer he was confident a long-term truce with Israel could be reached by mid-October. “But if there is no deal Hamas will turn the table upside down on the heads of everyone. The Israelis, the Palestinian Authority, the Egyptians, everyone. Everyone is going to suffer,” he reportedly warned.

Qatar has agreed to finance the purchase of fuel for Gaza’s power plant, increasing electricity supply from four to eight hours a day. Negotiations with Qatar took place under the auspices of the UN Middle East envoy, Nickolay Mladenov. Qatar reportedly agreed the deal at a conference of donor countries in New York last week.

Last Friday, 20,000 Palestinians protested along the Gaza border. They threw more than 100 improvised bombs and grenades at IDF soldiers and seven Palestinians were killed by Israeli fire. Last night, a 15-year-old Palestinian was reportedly killed and at least 14 others were injured in riots with IDF troops next to the Erez border crossing. About 1,000 Palestinians participated, throwing grenades and explosive devices.