Editorial Note: The following news reports are summaries from original sources. They may also include corrections of Arabic names and political terminology. Comments are in parentheses.

 
Khalid Misha'al Arrives in Gaza in a Historic Visit

December 7, 2012

In a historic visit, Mesha'al arrives in Gaza

[ 07/12/2012 - 10:59 PM ]
GAZA, (PIC)--

Khalid Misha'al, head of Hamas political bureau, arrived, on Friday afternoon at the head of a delegation of Hamas leaders abroad, to the Gaza Strip, to an official and popular reception.

Mesha'al accompanied his deputy, Dr. Moussa Abu Marzouk, and leaders Ezzat Risheq, Mohammed Naser, and others, to the Palestinian side of the Rafah border crossing, where they were met by Prime Minister Ismail Haniyya, and deputy speaker of the Legislative Council Ahmad Bahar, a large number of members the Politburo and the leaders of the movement, ministers and government officials, along with many of the leaders of the factions and national figures, as well as lines of police officers.

As soon as he entered Gaza, Misha'al kneeled and placed his forehead on the ground thanking the almighty God for being able to tread on Palestinian soil. He later described his visit as his third birth, his second birth being the survival of a mossad assassination attempt in 1997 in Amman.
Tens of thousands of people lined up along the Salah al-Din road to welcome the resistance and Hamas leaders returning to Gaza after the victory achieved by the resistance. Thousands of Qassam fighters were also lined up to receive the leader.
The first place he visited upon arrival in Gaza City was Sheikh Ahmad Yassin’s home, where he was received by Sheikh Yassin’s family and Hamas leaders in the Gaza Strip who gathered in the late leader’s house. The house which witnessed the birth of Hamas on 14th of December 1987.

In a short speech at Sheikh Yassin’s home, Misha'al promised that his movement will diligently work for reconciliation, saying that Sheikh Ahmad Yassin was the symbol of conciliation in Gaza.

Mishaal then visited the house of Ahmad Al-Ja'abari, deputy commander of the Qassam Brigades, who was assassinated by the Israeli occupation last month.
Then he visited the destroyed home of Dalou family, where 11 family members were massacred by the Israeli occupation airforce.

Many delegations arrive to Gaza to attend anniversary of the launch of Hamas

[ 07/12/2012 - 02:14 PM ]

GAZA, (PIC)--

Delegations from many Arab, Islamic and international countries arrived to the Gaza Strip to attend the anniversary of the launch of the Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas.

The delegations include scholars, journalists, politicians, public opinion leaders, peace activists and Arab as well as foreign citizens, who came to attend the festival of the 25th anniversary of launching Hamas and which coincides with the victory achieved by the movement and the Palestinian people in the battle of "Shale stones" a few days ago.

PIC's reporter said that the hotels in Gaza are overcrowded and not able to accommodate the delegations that have continued to reach Gaza, which pushed some Palestinians from the Strip to host people they know in their houses.

Meanwhile, two other delegations from Kuwait and Turkey have arrived to the Gaza Strip, on Thursday evening via the Rafah crossing.

Sources at the crossing told PIC's correspondent that the Kuwaiti delegation was composed of 19 solidarity activists while the Turkish delegation comprised 8 solidarity activists, pointing out that a number of officials had arrived to Gaza in order to receive and welcome the two delegations.

The security sources at the crossing told PIC's correspondent that the wife of Khalid Mesha'al arrived in Gaza, on Thursday evening via the Rafah crossing, accompanied by 14 members of her family.

Khalid Misha'al, the head of Hamas political bureau, arrived in Gaza Friday afternoon where he was received by the Prime Minister, Ismail Haniyya accompanied by government officials, faction representatives and dignitaries at the Rafah border crossing.

Int'l delegations in Gaza to mark Hamas's 25th anniversary

[ 08/12/2012 - 12:49 PM ]

GAZA, (PIC)--

Delegations from other countries and thousands of Palestinians flocked into the Gaza Strip during the past few days to participate in Hamas's 25th anniversary and listen to a keynote speech by its political leader Khaled Mishaal.

Maher Abu Sabha, the director general of Gaza crossings, told the Palestinian information center (PIC) that more than 3,000 people arrived in Gaza through Rafah border crossing to commemorate the anniversary and share Hamas's celebrations. Abu Sabha stated that the delegation of Miles of Smiles aid group alone comprised about 800 individuals, adding that a high-level Egyptian delegation of 250 officials would arrive in Gaza on Saturday.

He noted that the delegations are from Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Lebanon, Jordan, Malaysia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Turkey, Algeria, Egypt and Europe. Palestinian citizens from the West Bank, including relatives of slain Hamas military leader Ahmed Jabari, arrived in Gaza to attend the event.

Three hours before the anniversary festival started, Al-Katiba square was full of tens of thousands of Palestinians who started to be there since the early morning hours.

Hamas leader Khaled Mishaal is due to join this massive rally to mark the 25th anniversary of Hamas Movement and the start of the first Palestinian uprising ( Intifada) against Israel in December 1987.

Abu Marzouk: Hamas leaders visited Gaza without guarantees

[ 08/12/2012 - 01:34 PM ]

GAZA, (PIC)--

Moussa Abu Marzouk, deputy head of Hamas's political bureau, has denied the presence of any Egyptian guarantees ensuring that the movement's leaders would not be targeted by the Israeli occupation after they enter the Gaza Strip.

Abu Marzouk arrived in the Gaza Strip on Friday, accompanied by the head of the political bureau of Hamas, Khalid Misha'al, and two members of the political bureau Ezzat al-Resheq and Mohammed Nasr.

He confirmed in a press statement from Gaza that there were no guarantees, from any party, for the protection and the safety of the Hamas' leaders who have come in a visit to the Strip.

He stressed that the leaders are not afraid of the Israeli threats of targeting them during their stay in Gaza, noting that Israel had always assassinated Palestinian leaders, both at home and abroad.

For his part, Resheq revealed, in an interview in the Al-Aqsa TV channel on Saturday morning, that the movement's leadership has received real threats warning that Israel will cancel the truce in case the delegation of the movement's leadership abroad visits Gaza.

Khalid Misha'al Arrives In Gaza

Friday December 07, 2012 22:04 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies

Leader of the Hamas Political Bureau, Khalid Misha'al, arrived in the Gaza Strip Friday after 37 years in exile, making his first trip to the besieged coastal region via the Rafah Border Terminal with Egypt.

The moment he crossed the Terminal, Misha'al kneeled onto the ground to pray, and headed to visit the home of Hamas Spiritual Leader, Ahmad Yassin, who was Quadriplegic and was assassinated by an Israeli missile fired at him on March 22, 2004.

Dozens of thousands of residents lined up on the streets welcoming the Hamas leader in Gaza, while carrying his pictures, pictures of Yassin and other figures, and while waving Palestinian and Hamas flags.

During a speech he delivered from the house of Yassin, in As-Sabra neighborhood in Gaza city, Mashal stated that “Sheikh Yassin was the symbol of reconciliation, and the symbol of resistance”, adding that Hamas will be following Yassin’s lead until liberating Palestine, and will work for full reconciliation and unity among all Palestinian factions.

The Hamas leader was welcomed in Gaza by Ismail Haniyya, Prime Minister of the Hamas-led government in Gaza, and by thousands of armed resistance fighters, mainly fighters of the Al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas.

Also, several representatives of the Fateh movement of President Mahmoud Abbas, and representatives of other factions welcomed the Hamas leader in Gaza.

Speaking from the house of Sheikh Yassin, Misha'al addressed the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, Jerusalem, and historic Palestine, stating that “the Palestinians will liberate in Yaffa, Safad, Al-Joura, Hamama, Yibna Silwad.. and every Palestinian will return to his town”.

“Gaza is in my heart, God wanted me to visit it while it is victorious”, Misha'al said, “I considered this visit to be my third birth, the first birth in 1956, the second after Israeli tried to assassinate me in 1997, and today is my third birth”.

Mashal will be visiting several homes in Gaza mainly the home of Ad-Dalo family that was bombarded by Israeli during the recent war on Gaza leading to the death of 12 family members, most of them were children.

He will also be visiting the home of Mohammad Al-Hamas the leader of the Al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas who was assassinated by Israel leading to the escalation in Gaza.

On his part, Ismail Haniyya welcomed Khalid Misha'al and the visiting exiled Hamas officials and stated that this is a historic victory and is an outcome of steadfastness and resistance.

Haniyya added that “he occupation has no place in our holy land”.

It is worth mentioning that on Saturday, Hamas will be holding a massive march marking its 25th anniversary.

Mashal Calls On Arab Countries To Support Resistance

Saturday December 08, 2012 20:46 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies

Speaking the massive celebration marking the 25th anniversary of the foundation of Hamas, in Gaza, Khalid Misha'al head of the Political Bureau of the Hamas movement, called on the Arab countries to support the Palestinian resistance with “arms and money”, and said that “Palestine is from the river to the sea, and will always remain Arab and Islamic”.

As for recognizing Israel, Misha'al said that the occupation will never be recognized adding that “Palestine is ours and not for the Zionists”.

He also said that the “Jihad is the main means of resistance for liberation, accompanied by popular struggle and diplomacy”, adding that diplomacy and popular struggle are of no value without resistance.

The Hamas leader also called on the Arab and Islamic countries to support the resistance in Palestine with weapons and money, and added that “resistance for the Palestinians is a means not an end”, and also stated that “should the world find a means that can liberate Palestine, liberate Jerusalem and achieve the Right of Return without resistance, then let them try”.

Misha'al added that the Palestinians tried different means, including diplomacy throughout the 64 years of still ongoing occupation “but to no avail, but history teaches us that there will be no victory without resistance”.

He also “vowed” to act on securing the release of all Palestinian prisoners held by Israeli using the same means that secured the release of more than a thousand detainees in the Shalit prisoner swap deal.

Mashal further stated that “Hamas is not fighting the Jews because they are Jewish”, adding that Hamas is “fighting the Zionists because they are offenders and occupiers”.

Referring to the Right of Return of all Palestinian refugees, Misha'al said that this is a legitimate and a holy right, adding that Hamas strongly opposes all attempts to settle the refugees in other places, or the idea of creating “an alternative homeland for the Palestinians”.

His statements were referring to some statements made by extremist Israeli leaders who hinted, and some clearly stated, that the Palestinians should settle in Jordan, or other Arab states.

Misha'al said that “Jordan is a dear and brotherly country, but Jordan is for the Jordanians, and Palestine is for the Palestinians”, and also stated that the Palestinians will also reject an alternative homeland in Lebanon, Egypt or in any country.

On his part, Prime Minister of the Hamas-led government in Gaza, Ismail Haniyya, stated during the ceremonies that the fact that exiled leaders, like Misha'al and others, who returned to Gaza, is part of the “military victory of Hamas, and the resistance”, and added that it is also a political victory that shattered the six-year Israeli siege on Gaza.

Haniyya added that “unity of the Palestinian people, and the unity of all resistance factions, played an essential role in this victory”, and stated that the dozens of fighters who died “paved the way for this victory, and for these missiles that struck Tel Aviv and many other places”, according to Haniyya.

Addressing the Palestinians in the West Bank, Haniyya said that “the power of Gaza, is your power, and is ready and willing to carry out your battles for your freedom, and dignity, as we are all one nation”.

Haniyya also saluted Arab and Islamic countries for supporting Palestine, and stated that the changes that the Arab Spring managed to achieve, brought entire Arab support to Palestine, and added that “in 2008 the war on Gaza was declared from Cairo, but this time, victory was declared from Egypt”.

It is worth mentioning that Hamas stated that more than 3000 guests arrived in Gaza in the last few days to participate in the celebration of Hamas, and that the guests came from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Malaysia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Algeria and several European countries.