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Son of Hamas Co-Founder Calls for Israel to Kill His Father Along With All Terror Group Chiefs in Gaza, Qatar
Mosab Hassan Yousef, the son of Hamas co-founder Sheikh Hassan Yousef, speaking at the University of Michigan on Nov. 28, 2023. Photo: Screenshot
The disowned son of a Hamas co-founder on Thursday evening called on Israel to kill his father along with all leaders of the Palestinian terror group, saying that failure to do so would result in the terrorists “ethnically cleansing humanity.”
Mosab Hassan Yousef — the son of Sheikh Hassan Yousef, who was most recently released from an Israeli prison in July of this year after spending 21 months in detention — said that it was incumbent on Israel to set a definitive timeline for the release of all hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, and that if the timeline is not met, the country should proceed to eliminate top Hamas leaders, including his own father.
“If it wasn’t for me he would have died in the Second Intifada,” Yousef told The Algemeiner on a video call with reporters in Jerusalem, adding that it was a “mistake to save his life.”
“My father said I was no longer his son and called for my killing,” he continued. He went on to cite former Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir in saying peace was only possible once “the Arabs would love their children more than they hate” the Jews.
“All Hamas leaders must die for gambling with children’s blood,” said Yousef, who converted from Islam to Christianity.
Yousef’s proposal extended beyond the immediate execution of terrorists in prison, and called for a broader campaign against Hamas chiefs in both Gaza and Qatar, which hosts and finances leaders of the terror group. The 45-year-old, who famously served as a spy for Israel from 1997 to 2007, said such actions are essential for the defeat of Hamas. He criticized Israel’s policy of exchanging prisoners for hostages, arguing it strengthens potential perpetrators of future violence.
“I don’t recommend the release of a single terrorist. We cannot compromise or bend to global pressure when it comes to Hamas. We must apply the death penalty,” he said, citing the release of Hamas’ chief in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar, in the 2011 prisoner exchange deal with Gilad Shalit. “Look what happened. He was the architect of Oct. 7.”
On Oct. 7, Palestinian terrorists led by Hamas invaded southern Israel and massacred over 1,200 people, mostly civilians, launching the current war. They also abducted more than 240 people as hostages and took them back to Gaza, the Palestinian enclave ruled by Hamas.
Dozens of the captives had been released over the past week as part of a temporary ceasefire deal in which some of the hostages were freed in exchange for prisoners jailed in Israel. Fighting between Israel and Hamas resumed on Friday, however, as the truce collapsed.
Yousef warned that now that most of the women and children had been returned, Hamas was likely to attempt to extend the truce as long as possible so that it could recalibrate and rearm. The rest of the hostages still in Gaza, averred Yousef, should be treated as “war prisoners” and Israel’s efforts should be centered on eradicating the terror group.
“Hamas uses the truce to claim legitimacy,” he said. Referring to his childhood as the son of Hamas, or the Green Prince as he later became known to Israel’s Shin Bet security agency with whom he collaborated, Yousef said he was always aware of Hamas’ brutality and that his “basic instinct as a child was not to like them.”
Yousef assailed some European countries for their “blindness” when it came to Hamas.
“I don’t understand why the world is so blind,” he said.
“European leaders are coming in the midst of war and instead of standing with Israel they start proposing stupid ideas,” he added, referring to the fact that many countries in Europe have called for Israel to show restraint and seek a long-term ceasefire. “We are not in the middle of a peace process; we are in middle of existential war.”
“It’s not time to speak about peace and negotiations.”
Hamas “ethnically cleansed close to 20 communities based on their race, ethnicity, and religion, and this is what defines genocide,” he said of Hamas’ Oct. 7 massacre. “And yet some of us still argue whether Israel has the right to respond.”
“Their first crime was genocide. Their second crime was taking human shields,” Yousef said, referencing both the abduction of Israelis and the Gazan civilian population, in which Hamas embeds itself.
Rebuffing comparisons between civilian casualties in Gaza and victims of Oct. 7, Yousef said the first group are “victims of genocide” while the second are “war victims because they’re being used as human shields by Hamas, the governing body.”
“There’s a big difference,” he said, and added that the war “should not be measured by how many died on each side.”
According to Yousef, with every round of conflict with Hamas, from Operation Cast Lead in 2008-2009 and through today, the terror group has become increasingly emboldened and more violent as a result of Israeli concessions.
“Democracies should never negotiate with terrorists,” he said.
“Anyone who believes in justice knows we have to eradicate Hamas and if we don’t all humanity will pay the price. This is not only Israel’s fight. This is the fight of every free person in the world,” he added.
“They lied when they said they are a Palestinian resistance group,” Yousef said of Hamas. “They are a religious group waging holy war against the whole world, not only Israel. They want to dominate the globe.”
The post Son of Hamas Co-Founder Calls for Israel to Kill His Father Along With All Terror Group Chiefs in Gaza, Qatar first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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US Reportedly Shares Intelligence with New Syrian Leadership to Counter ISIS Threats
Syria’s de facto leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, also known as Abu Mohammed al-Golani, waits to welcome the senior Ukrainian delegation led by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, after the ousting of Syria’s Bashar al-Assad, in Damascus, Syria, Dec. 30, 2024. Photo: REUTERS/Khalil Ashawi
i24 News – The United States has begun sharing classified intelligence with Syria’s new leadership, led by Hayʼat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), an Islamist group formerly designated as a terrorist organization, reports the Washington Post.
This unexpected collaboration comes in the wake of HTS overthrowing the Assad regime last month and reflects heightened US concerns about a potential resurgence of the Islamic State (ISIS).
According to sources, US intelligence recently helped thwart a planned ISIS attack on a prominent Shiite shrine near Damascus.
Despite this cooperation, US officials stress that the intelligence-sharing arrangement does not signify full support for HTS, which has a controversial history of extremism.
HTS leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, previously known by his militant alias Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, has made efforts to project a more moderate image, pledging to protect Syria’s religious minorities and stabilize the country.
However, skepticism remains about HTS’s ability to govern effectively and sustain efforts against ISIS.
The Biden administration, before leaving office, maintained HTS’s terrorist designation while easing sanctions on Syria to facilitate humanitarian aid. As the new US administration under President Donald Trump takes shape, questions loom about the future of American involvement in Syria and the ongoing military presence aimed at preventing an ISIS comeback.
The post US Reportedly Shares Intelligence with New Syrian Leadership to Counter ISIS Threats first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Hostages Missing from Hamas’ Release List
A birthday cake for Kfir Bibas, who is a hostage in Hamas captivity. Thursday, January 18, 2024. (Photo: Debbie Weiss)
i24 News – The second phase of hostage releases between Israel and Hamas has sparked deep frustration and grief among the families of those still held captive.
Two hostages—Arbel Yahud and Agam Berger—were notably excluded from the list of those to be freed on Saturday, despite earlier agreements prioritizing the return of civilians.
Arbel Yahud, 29, and Agam Berger, 20, both captives since the October 7 attack, were not included in the list of four hostages expected to be released.
Yahud, from Kibbutz Nir Oz, was taken along with her partner, Ariel Cunio, whose family was freed in November. Yahud’s brother, Dolev, was later found dead in June after he was killed while trying to aid the wounded. Agam Berger, from Holon, was captured while stationed at Nahal Oz. Her family identified her in a video released by Hamas, showing her in pajamas being taken away in a vehicle after she called her father to alert him of the gunfire.
The omission of these two hostages has led to heightened concerns and calls for action from Israeli authorities, who are now exerting pressure on Hamas and mediators to honor the terms of the release agreement. Israeli officials reaffirmed their commitment to continue with the broader agreement, but warned that the failure to meet the agreed terms could harm future releases.
Adding to the grief, the Bibas family expressed their devastation when they learned that Shiri Bibas and her children, who were abducted from their Nir Oz home on October 7, were also absent from the second release list. In a heartfelt message shared on Saturday, the Bibas family shared their anguish: “Even though we were prepared for it, we were hoping to see Shiri and the children on the list that was supposed to be the civilian list.” The family voiced concerns over their loved one’s safety and questioned why, despite grave fears for their lives, their relatives were not included among the civilians due to be returned.
The Bibas family’s message emphasized their belief that the public must continue to demand answers, adding, “Thank you, dear supporters, for not giving up, for continuing to pray, to hope and to demand answers.
The post Hostages Missing from Hamas’ Release List first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Liri Albag, Karina Ariev, Naama Levi, and Daniela Gilboa Return to Israel After 477 Days of Captivity
A combination picture shows Israeli hostages Karina Ariev, Naama Levy, Liri Albag, and Daniela Gilboa, soldiers who were seized from their army base in southern Israel during the deadly Oct. 7, 2023 attack by Hamas, in these undated handout pictures. Photo: Courtesy of Bring Them Home Now/Handout via REUTERS
i24 News – After 477 harrowing days in captivity, four young Israeli women—Liri Albag, Karina Ariev, Naama Levi, and Daniela Gilboa—have finally returned home.
The release took place Saturday morning in Gaza’s Palestine Square, under a carefully staged scene orchestrated by Hamas.
The four women, who served in a military observation unit in Nahal Oz, were handed over to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). Before their release, they were made to wear uniforms provided by Hamas and were paraded on a platform in front of a crowd of activists. Forced to smile and wave, the women endured the ordeal under the watchful eyes of Hamas fighters.
Once the formalities concluded, the women walked to waiting ICRC vehicles, accompanied by representatives of the organization. Upon reaching Israeli forces, IDF medical teams immediately conducted examinations. At the meeting point, the first female officers who greeted them informed the women that their families were watching live. Overcome with emotion, the former hostages smiled at the cameras, sending heartfelt gestures to their loved ones.
Footage later released by the IDF captured a poignant moment: the four women removing the uniforms given to them by Hamas and embracing Israeli officers. These emotional scenes underscored the end of a long and grueling chapter in their lives.
The women were transported to the Reim reception center, where their families eagerly awaited them. After 477 days of separation, the reunions were deeply moving, marking a moment of relief and joy.
However, the release was not without complications. A fifth military observer, Agam Berger, remains in captivity, and Hamas failed to uphold its agreement to release civilian hostage Arbel Yahud, who was originally included in the liberation group. The breach of terms has drawn widespread condemnation, intensifying efforts to secure the release of those who remain captive.
This momentous event brings a mix of celebration and determination, as Israel continues to work tirelessly for the freedom of all hostages still held in Gaza.
The post Liri Albag, Karina Ariev, Naama Levi, and Daniela Gilboa Return to Israel After 477 Days of Captivity first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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