Kuwaiti Cleric Othman Al-Khamis Criticizes Hamas: Show Some Regard for the Lives of Muslims

In a public address, Kuwaiti cleric Othman Al-Khamis said to the decision-makers in Hamas: "For God's sake, show some regard for the lives of the Muslims who were killed.... Who is responsible for that? What were they killed for?" He further said: "You should not fight the enemy if you have no chance of winning. It's about winning, not about dying." The address was posted on the Internet on August 10, 2014.

Following are excerpts:

Othman Al-Khamis: Although our hearts go out to the people of Gaza, we say to their decision-makers: For God's sake, show some regard for the lives of the Muslims who were killed. More than 2,000 Muslims were killed, and over 10,000 wounded. Who is responsible for that? What were they killed for? How many Jews did we hit? How many Jews were killed in return? Not even a hundred. Not even 75.

What did we get in exchange for all those bombs and Muslim casualties? The blockade? The blockade has been there since 2006. It's nothing new. The blockade will not be lifted by this war, just like the previous war did not lift it. One must look at things rationally, and deal with things as they really are. They say: "The blockade is killing us. It's better to die [fighting]." Not true! Count how many were killed from 2006 to the first war, in 2008, and then from the end of the war in 2009 until the 2014, and compare it to the number of casualties now. In one month, more people were killed than in the past seven years.

You should not fight the enemy if you have no chance of winning. It's about winning, not about dying. Muslims fight not in order to die, but in order to win. That's the principle. Therefore, if the Muslims are weak, they are not allowed to fight. They are allowed to prepare: "Prepare for them whatever force and steeds of war you can, to strike terror in the heart of the enemy of Allah." If we do not have the means to strike terror in the hearts of the enemy of Allah, we must remain patient, persevere, and grow stronger, until we are able to confront the enemy of Allah.

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