Hamas Leader Says No Remorse for October 7th Attacks, Calls Them a Strategic Success.
A senior Hamas official has unequivocally stated that the militant group feels no regret for its October 7th assault on Israel, which killed approximately 1,200 people and saw over 250 taken hostage.
Ghazi Hamad, a member of Hamas’s political bureau, told CNN in an interview published on September 26, 2025, that the attacks were a necessary action that has significantly advanced the Palestinian cause on the world stage. He defended the operation by claiming it targeted only military objectives and denied that civilians were intentionally taken hostage, assertions that directly contradict extensive evidence documented by Israel and international observers.
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Hamad pointed to recent proceedings at the United Nations General Assembly as proof of the attack’s strategic benefit. “You know what the benefit of [October 7] is now?” Hamad asked. “If you look at the (United Nations) General Assembly yesterday, when about 194 people opened their eyes and looked at the atrocity, the brutality of Israel and all of them, they condemned Israel. We waited for this moment for 77 years.”
The Hamas leader also showed no remorse for the ensuing war in Gaza and the heavy loss of Palestinian life, stating that Palestinians “are proud to sacrifice martyrs.” When confronted with footage of Gazans criticizing Hamas, he dismissed it.
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On the issue of the remaining hostages, Hamad denied Israeli accusations that Hamas uses them as human shields, claiming instead they are treated according to “Islamic principles.” His comments come as another Hamas official, Osama Hamdan, linked recent international recognitions of Palestinian statehood directly to the October 7th attacks.
The interview underscores the deep divisions complicating mediation efforts. Hamad accused the United States, under President Trump’s current administration, of being involved in an assassination attempt against him, further eroding trust in potential mediators.
Hamad’s unapologetic stance reinforces Hamas’s narrative of defiance and presents a significant obstacle to stalled ceasefire negotiations and peace efforts, highlighting the profound human cost and entrenched positions on both sides of the conflict.
