Dr. Mahmoud al-Habbash, advisor to the Palestinian president on religious affairs and Chief Justice of Palestine, stated that an invasion of Rafah would be a disaster leading to open massacres, claiming thousands of victims. He announced in a special interview with "Arabia.net" that "what we fear most now is the invasion of Rafah, which can accommodate around 300,000 Palestinians but currently has over one and a half million citizens present." He added, "If Israel dares to invade Rafah, this catastrophe will lead to an open massacre where thousands of Palestinians will perish."
He emphasized that the decision for war should not be made solely by Hamas, allowing Israel to use Hamas's actions as a pretext to destroy Gaza and evade all commitments it has made with the organization. He noted that the United States alone can stop this invasion if it chooses to do so, indicating that the American administration bears equal responsibility with Israel for any bloodshed among the Palestinian people.
Al-Habbash pointed out that Hamas is the cause of the Palestinian division and is behind the catastrophic situation that Palestinians are currently experiencing. He asserted that the priority now is to stop the aggression and massacre, halt the displacement plans, and save the blood of our people, after which the realities in Gaza and the West Bank will be reassessed.
He accused Hamas of wanting to seize control of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), stating that they have created the division since 2007, recalling that there was once a national unity government comprising Fatah, Hamas, and other Palestinian factions before Hamas took over in Gaza, leading to the current difficult situation.
He added that Hamas aims to enter the PLO to control its leadership, having suggested multiple times that it join without elections while demanding 40% of the seats in the National and Central Councils. However, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has set clear and strict conditions for anyone wishing for true national unity, which includes recognizing the PLO as the sole legitimate representative and accepting peaceful popular resistance as part of a suitable struggle for the current phase and adherence to international legitimacy. Al-Habbash noted that Hamas does not want this and only seeks to impose its conditions.
He questioned: "If Hamas genuinely seeks to end the division and achieve unity, they must retract the coup, relinquish their control over Gaza, and engage in national unity under the umbrella of the PLO, rather than being the cause and pretext for Israel to evade all political obligations that it is supposed to adhere to in the framework of agreements with the organization and international resolutions from recent years." He condemned Hamas's decision to launch the attack on October 7 independently without consulting the organization or the Palestinian people.
Al-Habbash mentioned that the decision for war should not be made solely by Hamas, which allowed Israel to use their actions as a pretext for destroying Gaza and evading all obligations. He remarked that what is currently happening by the Israeli occupation is a war of extermination against the Palestinian people aimed at forcing them to leave their lands, affirming that "the Palestinian people will remain steadfast in their land and will not forsake it." He highlighted that Palestine appreciates all Arab efforts made towards its people.
He clarified that "the top priority now is to achieve political, security, and humanitarian safety by stopping the Israeli aggression and the massacre being perpetrated, implementing a complete halt to the displacement plans, and saving the blood of our people from the atrocities of aggression. After that, we will look into what is required for the Palestinian reality, whether in Gaza or the West Bank, as we do not separate between the futures of the two." He continued, "At that time, we will find the best and most beneficial option and will make the appropriate decision as needed, especially since we are open to any idea that would be in the interest of the Palestinian people and cause."
He concluded by saying, "We are making every effort with Egypt and Jordan in particular to deliver aid to the Palestinians and are doing all we can to alleviate the citizens' suffering, given the available capabilities in an abnormal situation in Gaza amid Israeli aggression and a peculiar situation where Hamas insists on being the governing authority in Gaza."
