Hamas admits regret over October 7 attack on Israel

The Hamas militant group has publicly admitted to regrets over its October 7 attack on Israel. The acknowledgment came through a 16-page report, released in both English and Arabic, where the group acknowledged that “some faults happened” during the assault.

The report cited the rapid collapse of the Israeli security and military system, along with the resulting chaos along the border areas with Gaza, as contributing factors.

Hamas’s attacks on Israel on October 7 led to significant casualties, with an estimated 1,140 people, mostly civilians, losing their lives, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures.

The group defended its actions, describing the attacks as “a necessary step and a normal response to confront all Israeli conspiracies against the Palestinian people.”

During the assault, Hamas seized approximately 250 hostages. Israel has reported that around 132 hostages remain in Gaza, with at least 27 believed to have been killed, based on an AFP tally using Israeli figures.

Israel’s subsequent relentless bombardment and ground offensive in Gaza have resulted in the deaths of at least 25,105 people, predominantly women and children, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.

Hamas, in its report, called for the immediate cessation of Israeli aggression on Gaza and condemned the crimes and ethnic cleansing committed against the Gaza population.

The group rejected any international or Israeli efforts to determine Gaza’s post-war future, emphasizing the Palestinian people’s capacity to decide their own fate and arrange their internal affairs.