Texas Border Business
By Roberto Hugo González
In an October 8, 2023, interview on Russian TV reposted by MEMRI TV, Ali Baraka, a senior Hamas official, provided a rare inside perspective on the Palestinian Islamic terrorist organization’s motivations and preparations behind the recent attack and massacre operation against Israel.
Baraka’s revelations shed light on the secrecy, coordination, capabilities, international diplomacy, and geopolitical considerations that played a crucial role in Hamas’ actions. It’s important to note that this interview’s content represents Hamas’ perspective.
One of the most intriguing aspects discussed by Ali Baraka was the secrecy surrounding the timing of the attack. He referred to it as “zero hour” and emphasized that only a limited number of Hamas leaders were privy to this information. The circle of individuals who knew about the impending attack was small. This level of secrecy was undoubtedly a calculated move to catch Israel off guard and maximize the operation’s effectiveness.
In recent years, Hamas adopted a seemingly more “rational” approach, avoiding direct involvement in large-scale wars and conflicts. Baraka portrayed Hamas as an organization focused on governing Gaza, apparently abandoning armed resistance. However, it becomes clear that this was part of a strategic ploy to prepare for the recent attack. This approach allowed them to build their capabilities while avoiding provoking large-scale Israeli military responses.
The Russian TV interview highlights the extensive coordination that went into planning and executing the attack. Baraka mentioned collaboration with various Palestinian resistance factions, allies such as Hezbollah and Iran, and international players like Turkey and Russia. What’s particularly noteworthy is that the timing of the attack was only revealed to these groups after it had already started, demonstrating Hamas’s commitment to secrecy and surprise.
Baraka boasted about the reach and capabilities of Hamas’ rockets, mentioning various types with significant ranges. This indicates that Hamas has developed a sophisticated arsenal of weaponry. Moreover, they claimed to have local factories for manufacturing various weapons and ammunition, reducing their reliance on external sources. Iran was cited as a primary supporter, providing both financial aid and weapons to boost international diplomacy.
The interview dug into Hamas’ desire to engage in prisoner exchanges with Israel, seeking the release of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel in exchange for their captured members in foreign countries, including the United States. Baraka argued that the U.S. conducts such swaps with other nations and should do the same with Hamas.
Intriguingly, the interview touched on the idea that Russia is sympathetic to the Palestinian cause and suggested that the conflict in Palestine could divert attention and resources from other international conflicts, such as the situation in Ukraine. This implies that Hamas may seek to leverage its ties with Russia to gain support and deflect international scrutiny.
Ali Baraka’s interview on Russian TV provides a rare glimpse into Hamas’ thinking, preparations, and motivations behind a recent military operation against Israel. While the interview represents Hamas’ perspective, it offers valuable insights into the complexity of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the role of various international actors.
MEMRI TV’s Disclaimer: “MEMRI (and MEMRI TV) is a non-partisan, independent research institute providing research, analysis and translation of primary materials covering a wide range of issues, including on terrorism and ideological trends in the Middle East. These video clips are provided as a public service to an international viewing audience to bridge the language gap and better educate and inform. Material about the statements of terrorists and extremists is provided to alert the public to threats and in no way constitutes an endorsement of such activities.”
Here is the link to the video, click here.
Here, we present the text (translated by MEMRI TV) word for word of what Ali Baraka, a senior Hamas official, said in his interview with MEMRI Russian television.
That zero hour was kept completely secret. A limited number of Hamas leadership knew it.
The number of people who knew about the attack and its timing could be counted on one hand.
In the past couple of years, Hamas has adopted a “rational” approach.
It did not go into any war and did not join the Islamic Jihad in its recent battle.
But all of this was part of Hamas’s strategy in preparing for this attack.
Of course. We made them think that Hamas was busy with governing Gaza, and that it wanted to focus on the 2.5 million Palestinians (in Gaza). And has abandoned the resistance altogether,
All the while, under the table, Hamas, was preparing for this big attack.
The rockets of the resistance cover all Palestine.
Where would (Netanyahu) take (the Israelis who were attacked)? To Tel Aviv?
We bombed Tel Aviv on the very first day of the attack.
Does he want to take them to the Galilee? The northern front – with Lebanon has opened today.
The Galilee is no longer safe for the Zionist enemy. We can bomb the Galilee from inside occupied Palestine.
In order to keep the attack secret and successful, the different factions and our allies did not know the zero hour. But after half an hour, all the Palestinian resistance factions were contacted as were our allies in Hizbullah and Iran. The Turks were also notified, and a meeting was held with them three hours later, at 9 am.
We updated anyone who contacted us. Even the Russians sent a message and enquired, and they were updated about the situation and about the goals of the war.
There are also Palestinian prisoners outside of Israel, in European countries. There also prisoners in the U. A. We want them. Of course.
There Hamas members sentenced for life in the U. S., we want them too. Of course.
We demand that the U. S. free our sons from prisons.
The U. S. conducts prisoner swaps. Only recently, it did one with Iran. Why wouldn’t it conduct a prisoner swap with us? After all, it is participating in this war.
Biden, the highest authority in the U. S., declared that he stands with Israel against Hamas and the Palestinian people. Therefore, he is a partner to this aggression, he must pay the price. The Israelis are known to love life.
We, on the other hand, sacrifice ourselves. We consider our dead to be martyrs. The thing any Palestinian desires the most is to be martyred for the sake of Allah, defending his land.
We have been preparing for this for two years. We have local factories for everything. We have rockets with ranges of 250 kms, 160 kms, 80 kms, 45 kms, and 10 kms.
We have factories for mortars and their shells. We have factories for manufacturing B-7 and B-10 guns and their shells. We have factories for manufacturing Kalashnikov rifles and their bullets. We have a Russian license to produce Kalashnikov bullets in Gaza. Our allies are those that support us with weapons and money.
First and foremost is Iran that is giving us money and weapons. There is also Hizbullah, and the arab and Islamic people who are standing by us. There are countries that support us politically. Even Russia sympathizes with us. Even the Russians sent us messages yesterday morning. They sympathize with us.Russia is happy that America is getting embroiled in Palestine. It alleviates the pressure on the Russians in Ukraine. One war eases the pressure in another war. So we are not alone on the battlefield.
Mark Levin posted the video first to publish on TRUTH Social and was the first one to say: “Russia gave Hamas its strong backing.”
On September 11, 2023. Former President Donald J. Trump posted on TRUTH social news outlet:
See below the post image by Mr. Trump, which Jack Poso reposted:
