Al-Ahram Editor-In-Chief Ashraf Abu Al-Houl: The Results Of October 7 Have Been Catastrophic For Gaza; If Hamas Did Not Manage To Protect The People Of Gaza And Their Homes That Means It Was Defeated

The editor of the Egyptian Al-Ahram daily newspaper Ashraf Abu Al-Houl said in a February 14, 2024 interview with Ibrahim Eissa on Al-Kahera Wal-Nas TV (Egypt) that the results of the October 7 attack on Israel have been catastrophic for Gaza. He said that Hamas cannot claim this was a victory while it failed to protect the people in Gaza and their homes. Abu Al-Houl asked whether the resistance was protecting itself and its rockets or the people. He added that sometimes it seems as though Hamas is focused on protecting its tunnel and commanders rather than schools, universities, and churches.

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"Where Did [October 7] Get Us? Even If The War Stops Now, The Situation Is Catastrophic; People Who Return [To Gaza] Will Not Find Their Homes, They Will Have No Services, No Food, No Water"

Abu Al-Houl: "I do not care if even 10,000 Israelis die. But what happened on the ground? Where did [October 7] get us? What is the extent of the destruction [in Gaza]. Prior to October 7, the Israelis were outside of Gaza, whereas now, they are in Gaza. Not only that, Gaza has turned into rubble. So even if the war stops now, the situation is catastrophic. People who will return will not find their homes, they will have no services, no food, no water."

Is The Resistance Defending Itself, Or Is It Defending The People? If It Failed To Protect Homes And Landmarks But Got To Keep Its Rockets – What Kind Of Victory Is This?

Interviewer: "But [Hamas is saying] that the resistance has won, that Netanyahu said that the goals of the war are to destroy Hamas, to topple its rule, and to bring the prisoners back, and he could not achieve any of these three goals."

Al-Houl: "Look, this story about the resistance being victorious just because it managed to survive... Well, the people are annihilated. The philosophical [question] is: Is the resistance defending itself or is it defending the people? If you could not defend the people, you were defeated. If I could not protect the homes and the landmarks – what kind of victory is this? Is it a victory if you get to keep your rockets and your shells?

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"Unfortunately, I sometimes feel that the resistance is focusing on protecting the tunnels where its commanders are rather than protecting the schools, universities, and churches."