Abdel Bari Atwan

It seems that the Islamic Resistance Movement "Hamas" and the leadership of its hardline military wing, stationed on the frontlines in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank specifically, have decided to transfer attacks to Israeli embassies and interests, and perhaps American and European ones as well, to every corner of the world. They are following in the footsteps of the early resistors, especially the "Black September" faction of Fatah, founded and led by the martyr Salah Khalaf (Abu Iyad), and the external wing of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, led by the martyr Wadie Haddad, which manifested in aeroplane hijackings, attacks on European airports, and sports competitions (Munich Olympics).

What confirms what we have said earlier is the surprising statement made by Mr Sami Abu Zuhri, one of the young leaders and erstwhile official spokesperson of the "Hamas" movement, today, which is considered the first of its kind since its establishment. He said, and we quote here verbatim, "Everyone who can carry a weapon anywhere in the world must act against President Trump's plan to displace Palestinians from the Gaza Strip."

He added in detail, "Given this diabolical plan that combines massacres and starvation, everyone who can carry a weapon in the world must take action. Spare no bomb, bullet, weapon, or stone; use them all. Let everyone shatter their silence. We are all guilty if America's and the Zionist occupation's interests remain secure while Gaza is being slaughtered and starved."

Abu Zuhri concluded his unprecedented and thunderous outcry by commenting on Netanyahu's call for Hamas to lay down their arms and for their leaders to leave Gaza, stating that the goal of this war is "the implementation of Trump's displacement plan within the framework of an American-Zionist scheme aimed at emptying the Gaza Strip of its people."

At first glance, one might conclude that Hamas has reached its breaking point and is no longer intimidated by being labelled as "terrorists", a label it has avoided since its founding by the Mujahid Sheikh Ahmed Yassin in 1987, as it has always committed to limiting its military operations to the occupied Palestinian territories only.

The biased and supportive American and European stance towards the escalating genocide and massacres against children and civilians in the Gaza Strip, its development into starving the people of the Strip, cutting off water, electricity, and all food and medical supplies to them, and the near-total destruction of hospitals, along with Israel's failure to adhere to its signed ceasefire agreement, are all factors that have led to the adoption of this approach of transferring military attacks against American and Israeli interests abroad. This is according to one of the close associates of the "Hamas" movement. It is not unlikely that other elements of the Resistance Axis, such as "Hezbollah" in Lebanon and the Popular Mobilisation Forces in Iraq, will follow the same path as the "Ansar Allah" movement in Yemen by targeting American ships and aircraft carriers.

The Mujahid Sami Abu Zuhri cannot make such surprising and unprecedented statements in their content and message at this timing without being based on a strategy adopted by the highest political and military leadership of the "Hamas" movement in the sector, which currently sits behind the leadership seat and fights battles on the ground. The other confirmed matter is that this strategic shift is not spontaneous, and it is certain that dormant cells have been activated and their targets set in more than one capital and place in the world.

The Israeli leadership, which violates ceasefire agreements in Gaza and southern Lebanon, is drawing America and its interests into an "armed conflict" that destabilises the world and its security. They bear the highest responsibility in this context by resuming acts of killing and genocide. They have found no deterrent either in the Arab world or the international community, which has driven "Hamas" to this option in the broadest sense. It is enough to observe that 80 martyrs fell in Gaza in the past 48 hours alone and that hundreds of thousands will starve to death in the next ten days if humanitarian aid does not arrive.

The "Hamas" movement will not cease resisting and laying down arms, nor will it leave the Gaza Strip for abroad as the criminal duo Trump and Netanyahu demand. We do not rule out that it has reluctantly resorted to the Samson option, that is, bringing down the temple over its head and the heads of its adversaries, come what may.

If we go back a few decades, specifically to the days of the first Palestinian resistance, commencing today we might witness a new type of arena, in the Yemeni style, that makes all American and Israeli embassies, airports, companies, and population centres targets for "martyrdom" military attacks. There are millions of volunteers, or some of them, who can join under its banner, from Arabs and Muslims to those angry at America and Israel and their crimes that jeopardise the world's security, stability, and prosperity.

It is the armed chaos that Trump and Netanyahu want, and it is about to explode, and they must bear full responsibility.