Senator Collins, Bipartisan
Group Urge UN to Designate
Hamas as a Terrorist Organization!!

Hamas is an Palestinian resistance organization that controls the Gaza Strip. Hamas’ 1988 charter states: “Hamas rejects any alternative to the full and complete liberation of Palestine, from the river to the sea” — i.e., the annihilation of Israel. The charter says: “The Day of Judgment will not come about until Muslims fight Jews and kill them.”

Hamas later issued a new policy document, which did not replace or supersede its original charter, that included more coded language with calls for “resisting the occupation with all means and methods.”

Since conquering the Gaza Strip by force in 2007, Hamas has maintained a standing army of fighters and an arsenal of light arms, mortars, rockets, shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missiles, drones, and more.

Israel took control of the Gaza Strip after the Six-Day War in 1967. In 2005, under U.S. pressure, then Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon unilaterally withdrew from the coastal enclave, removing every Israeli town, including every citizen, soldier, and grave.

The Palestinian Authority (PA) ruled Gaza for two years, until 2007, but because of some disagreements between the Palestinian Authority and Hamas leaders, The Palestinian Authority (PA) decided to be content with ruling the West Bank and leaving Gaza under control of Hamas leaders.

The United States designated Hamas as a Foreign Terrorist Organization in 1997, freezing its U.S.-based assets, barring members from entering the country, and banning the provision of “material support or resources.”

The U.S. government subsequently sanctioned Hamas-related charities and senior Hamas members and blocked funds related to Hamas activity. Israel, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and 15 European states have also sanctioned some or all of Hamas.

ANKARA, Oct 25 - Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, in his strongest comments yet on the Gaza conflict, said on Wednesday the Palestinian militant group Hamas was not a terrorist organisation but a liberation group fighting to protect Palestinian lands.

"Hamas is not a terrorist organisation, it is a liberation group, 'mujahideen' waging a battle to protect its lands and people," he told lawmakers from his ruling AK Party, using an Arabic word denoting those who fight for their faith.

Unlike many of its NATO allies and the European Union, Turkey does not consider Hamas a terrorist organisation and hosts members of the group on its territory. Ankara backs a two-state solution to the decades-old Israel-Palestinian conflict.

Erdogan also slammed Western powers for supporting Israel's bombing of Gaza and called for an immediate ceasefire, the unhindered entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza and for Muslim countries to work together to stop the violence.

"The perpetrators of the massacre and the destruction taking place in Gaza are those providing unlimited support for Israel," Erdogan said. "Israel's attacks on Gaza, for both itself and those supporting them, amount to murder and mental illness."

When the Israeli prisoners were released as part of the exchange deal between the occupation and the Palestinian resistance factions, their relatives revealed positive details regarding the conditions of their detention in the Gaza Strip. However, in light of the media blackout imposed on the events, the Israeli “Walla” website revealed a report presenting testimonies from Prisoners' families.

After meeting the 13 prisoners who were released, a relative quoted one of the prisoners about his period of detention in Gaza, saying: “At first they were not with many people, and at some point more were added to them. They had radio and television there, and they could hear... News from Israel.

“They did not go through anything unpleasant, they were treated humanely, and there were no horror stories that we thought there were,” a relative confirmed, citing another released elderly prisoner.

Professor Gilat Livni, Director of the Department of Returned Children at Schneider Hospital, said: "The released abductees talked about the 'experiences' they went through." We don't ask many questions, but they: "They tell stories and we listen to them, and sometimes we cry with them, but I can't share the stories."

Tel Aviv asked all released Israeli prisoners not to speak to the media, after two female prisoners who were released several weeks ago revealed that they had been treated humanely, which belies the occupation’s narrative that describes resistance fighters and the people of Gaza as “human animals.”

The Israeli settler, Yocheved Lifshitz, who was released by the Al-Qassam Brigades, on October 23, reported how resistance members treated her during her detention period inside the Gaza Strip, and confirmed that she was not subjected to abuse.

Lifshitz said: “Hamas treated us with kindness, met all our needs, and I underwent a medical examination during my detention,” adding that the Al-Qassam members “assured me that they were Muslims, and would not harm us, and we ate the same food as them,” as she put it.

The Israeli Broadcasting Corporation said that Tel Aviv "received a list of names of the second batch of prisoners to be released, from among those detained in the Gaza Strip."

In turn, the Hebrew Channel 12 reported that 13 Israeli prisoners, including women and children, are scheduled to be released.

The first temporary humanitarian truce for 4 days between Israel and the Palestinian factions entered into force, since the outbreak of the bloody aggression launched by Israel against the Gaza Strip since last October 7.

The temporary humanitarian truce agreement includes the release of 50 Israeli prisoners from Gaza in exchange for the release of 150 Palestinians from Israeli prisons, and the entry of hundreds of trucks loaded with humanitarian, relief, medical and fuel aid to all areas of the Strip.

In the end, there is a big difference between the owner of the land and the usurper of that land, between the owner of the right and the owner of wrongdoing, between those who have morals and those who have no morals.

Hamas was not created to harm innocents and civilians, but to resist the violations of this occupier against the landowners.