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Source: https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/21674/hamas-wants-to-sacrifice-palestinians
Palestinians Reject Being Hamas's Sacrificial Lambs
(Gatestone Institute) Khaled Abu Toameh - In Islamic tradition, the feast of Eid al-Adha (Festival of Sacrifice) honors the willingness of the patriarch Abraham to sacrifice his son as an act of obedience to God's command. On the eve of the feast this year (June 6), Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya said: "Gaza has offered itself as a sacrifice for the Muslim nation and deserves its full support in return." His statement triggered a wave of angry reactions and condemnations from many Palestinians, especially from those in Gaza. Al-Hayya and his family members live outside of Gaza, where senior Hamas leaders are leading safe, often resplendent, lives. Palestinians expressed outrage that the senior Hamas official compared them to lambs offered as sacrifices in the holy war against Israel. They see his remarks as an example of the total disregard displayed by Hamas leaders for the lives of Gaza residents, who continue to pay a heavy price because of Hamas's refusal to hand over all the hostages, disarm, and relinquish control of Gaza. Hamas, they say, has decided to sacrifice tens of thousands of Palestinians to please its patrons in Qatar and Iran. A growing number of Palestinians are aware that Hamas does not care about their safety or welfare and is prepared to sacrifice as many people as possible to achieve its goal of killing Jews and destroying Israel. The writer, a veteran Israeli journalist, is a senior fellow at the Gatestone Institute and the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs.