Hamas leader in Gaza Yahya Sinwar said in an interview with the Lebanese Al-Mayadeen TV channel that with the help of Iran, Hamas has managed to significantly develop its capabilities.
Sinwar added that Iran has provided Hamas’s Izz Al-Din Al-Qassam Brigades and other Gaza factions “a lot of money, equipment and expertise.”
He further said that his organization had “excellent” relations with Hezbollah and that there is coordination on an “almost daily” basis between the two organizations, describing Hamas’s relations with Iran, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and Gen. Qassem Solimani as “strong and warm.”
The interview aired on May 21.
The following is a transcript:
Host: If Israel launches a military attack against Gaza, will we be witnessing unprecedented surprises, the likes of which we have not seen in the Israeli aggressions of 2014, 2012 and 2009, and 2008 against Gaza?
Yahya Sinwar: Absolutely. This is certain and beyond any doubt. Our resistance in the Gaza Strip has greatly developed its capabilities first and foremost thanks to Allah, but also with the help of the righteous free men of our nation—first and foremost, the Islamic Republic of Iran, which has provided the Al-Qassam Brigades and the other factions of the resistance a lot of money, equipment and expertise even before the [Israeli] aggression, but especially after it. It has provided us with a lot of resources, which allowed for the great development of our capabilities.
[…]
Yahya Sinwar: We have excellent relations with our brothers in Hezbollah. Our relations with them are extremely developed. We work together and coordinate and are in touch on an almost daily basis. The relations are at the best stage ever. Similarly, our ties with the Islamic Republic of Iran, with brother Qassem Soleimani and the other brothers in the IRGC leadership are very strong, powerful and warm. Our relations with the Islamic Republic are excellent.
[…]
