Musa Abu Marzouk, head of the External Relations Office of Hamas, stated that he was not fully informed about the plans for the October 7, 2023 attack, emphasizing that if he had understood the consequences, he would not have approved it.

He noted that Hamas’s leadership is open to negotiations regarding the future of the movement’s weapons, comparing Hamas to a person fighting Mike Tyson, where its survival during the war is seen as a form of victory.

Abu Marzouk also expressed Hamas’s willingness to discuss the release of more hostages in exchange for the release of a larger number of Palestinian prisoners or to release all hostages at once if the Israeli occupation is prepared to release thousands of Palestinians from its prisons, end the war, and withdraw from Gaza.