A new video statement by Abu Obeida, the military spokesman for the Al-Qassam Brigades, was aired on Thursday by Al-Jazeera. This marks his first public address since March 6, delivered amid the ongoing […] genocidal war on Gaza.

In his televised remarks, Abu Obeida accused Israel of breaking previous ceasefire agreements and warned of intensified resistance operations.

“Four months have passed since the enemy resumed its aggression after reneging on the covenants and the agreement concluded with the resistance,” he said.

Abu Obeida stated that during this period, Palestinian fighters inflicted significant casualties on Israeli forces.

“We have killed and wounded hundreds of enemy soldiers, and thousands have suffered from psychological trauma,” he stated, adding that the resistance has been evolving its tactics throughout what he called “the longest confrontation in our people’s history.”

Greatest Military School for Resistance

Describing Gaza as “the greatest military school for a people’s resistance against their occupiers in modern history,” Abu Obeida said Palestinian fighters have continued to target Israeli forces and have made recent attempts to capture soldiers.

“The Qassam Brigades are fully prepared to continue a long battle of attrition against the occupation forces, regardless of the form of its aggression or its plans,” he declared, outlining a strategy focused on “inflicting casualties, carrying out special operations, and capturing soldiers.”

He warned that “if the terrorist enemy government chooses to continue its war of extermination, it chooses to continue receiving the coffins of its soldiers and officers.”

Blame on Arab Leaders

Abu Obeida issued scathing criticism of Arab and Islamic governments for failing to stop [the] ongoing assault.

“Our regimes and the forces of our nation continue to watch as their brothers in the Holy Land are killed by the tens of thousands, starved, and denied food, water, and medicine,” he said.

“The necks of the leaders, elites, and scholars of the Islamic and Arab nations are burdened with the blood of tens of thousands of innocent people who have been betrayed by their silence.”

He added, “The enemy would not have dared to commit genocide in plain sight and hearing of the nation’s leaders had it not been assured of impunity, guaranteed silence, and purchased complicity.”

The Qassam Brigades spokesman also praised the Yemeni Ansarallah movement for what he described as an “effective front” against Israel.

“We salute our dear people in Yemen, a land of wisdom and faith, its armed forces, and our sincere brothers, the Ansar Allah,” he said, calling their actions a “conclusive argument against the inactive and submissive.”

Netanyahu Rejected Swap Deal

Abu Obeida addressed the ongoing prisoner exchange negotiations, stating that Hamas had offered to release all captured Israeli soldiers in one comprehensive deal, but the Israeli government refused.

“We have repeatedly offered in recent months to conclude a comprehensive deal in which we would hand over all enemy prisoners at once,” he said.

“But war criminal Netanyahu and his ministers rejected our offer. It became clear to us that the soldiers held captive are not a priority for them, as they have prepared their public to accept their deaths.”

He concluded by supporting the Palestinian negotiating team but warned, “If the enemy persists in this round of negotiations, we will not be able to guarantee a return to partial deals or proposals such as the ten-prisoner exchange.”

No Choice but to Make a Deal

In a separate statement, Hamas said [that the occupation] has failed to achieve its goals militarily and must return to the negotiating table.

“After the occupation failed to free the prisoners by force, it has no choice but to make a deal with the resistance on its terms and conditions,” Hamas said.

The group stated that its fighters are “confusing Israel’s calculations” with “diverse tactics,” despite Israeli attempts to “subjugate the people through starvation and siege.”

Hamas described the ongoing war as a “strategic turning point” that demonstrates “the growing fragility of this entity” and “exposes its crimes of murder, starvation, and genocide.”

Abu Obeida closed his address by thanking “all the free people of the world who stand in solidarity and seek to break the siege on Gaza,” and reiterated his commitment to continuing resistance until “the occupation ends and our people are free.”

(Emphasis original.)