An ANC delegation meeting with the Hamas and Fatah delegations. Photo: X/@MbalulaFikile
As the conflict in Gaza continues, senior Hamas officials denied they have a relationship with the South African government.
The visit to South Africa by the Islamic Resistance Movement engaged in war with Israel, has sparked controversy.
The Hamas delegation; which included Dr Bassem Naim, a former Hamas health minister in Gaza; Khaled Qaddoumi, the group’s representative in Iran; and Emad Saber from the South African office, were among the Palestinians who attended the 5th Global Convention of Solidarity with Palestine.
The SA Jewish Board of Deputies condemned the visit by members of the organisation
Mandla Mandela, the grandson of former president Nelson Mandela, helped organise the two-day conference which commenced on Sunday.
“The conference theme was, ‘Nelson Mandela and Palestine: Confronting Racism till Liberation’.”
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The Citizen posed a series of questions to the Hamas delegation including what their relationship was with the South African government.
Senior Hamas leader, Ismail Haniyeh, was reported to have sent a message to South Africa’s Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Naledi Pandor asking her for humanitarian aid in Gaza.
This was how Pandor set out to clarify a record of a phone call between herself and the Hamas leader. She said that the call was in response to Haniyeh’s request for assistance in Gaza, rather than an expression of support for any actions on the ground.
“As a political party, Hamas does not have relations with the government of South Africa. However, Hamas has a relationship with the African National Congress (ANC) and with civil society parties and organisations,” Saber said in a written reply.
Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said the government had no plans to meet the Hamas officials – but did not rule out the possibility.
However, the ANC did meet the delegation, which was shared by secretary general Fikile Mbalula on X.
“This afternoon, the ANC delegation and the general-secretary of SACP, Solly Mapaila, held a bilateral meeting with the Hamas and Fatah delegations of Palestine at Chief Albert Luthuli House.
“As the ANC we support the Palestinian people. We have been clear on our stance even when we received attacks on it. The Palestinian people must be supported until their freedom is attained. Even as we celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Passing of Madiba, the People of Palestine are not free and the Sahrawi People are also not free. This must come to an end!” Mbalula tweeted.
Saber denied Hamas killed innocent women and children in their October 7 attack on Israel.
“There is no such evidence. If the media has such evidence, we would be happy to review it and respond. But, to date, neither the Israeli authorities nor the Israeli media have provided such evidence.”
Saber, however, claimed Israeli forces were responsible for killing Israeli civilians.
“A recent Haaretz article, for example, reported on an Israeli police report that said that an Israeli army Apache helicopter fired at Nova partygoers, not knowing whether they were Israelis or Palestinian resistance. There is video footage of that incident. Other evidence in Israeli media shows that many Israeli civilians were killed by shelling from tanks.
“We do not possess tanks; these were Israeli army tanks that killed civilians together with our fighters. Then there are reports in Israeli media that some civilians, at the party, for example, were killed in the crossfire after party security opened fire at our fighter. Most of them were killed by Israeli bullets, but it is quite possible that some were killed by our fighters in that crossfire,” he said.
Saber said Hamas fighters were given clear instructions before the campaign.
“Let us be clear that Hamas fighters were given clear instructions, as per our policies and Islamic standards of warfare, that no civilians should be targeted – either killed or captured. All our targets were military – and this is our right under international law.
“You should also understand that some of the captives were not taken by Hamas fighters but, in the chaos, by fighters from other groups and even by some civilians from Gaza. We are not responsible for taking those captives. We have, however, made it clear immediately after 7 October that we will ensure that all civilian captives will be released – no matter which group holds them,” Saber said.
Saber said Hamas will continue its campaign until Palestine is liberated.
“Our struggle has been going on for more than eight decades. Our objective is the liberation of the Palestinian people and Palestinian lands. Our campaign will end when Palestine is liberated.”
Saber also rebuked South Africa-born billionaire Elon Musk’s solidarity with Israel.
Musk defended Israel saying it was “troubling” to see protests against Israel across the globe to stop the bombing of Gaza.
He voiced support for Israel saying one challenge was “ultimately stopping the propaganda that is convincing people to engage in, you know, murder”.
“Elon Musk’s visit is wholly irrelevant to the Palestinian people. Protests around the world, taking place daily for the past two months, in every major city in the world, and towns and villages, universities and schools… these are all a clear indication that global public opinion is firmly on the side of the Palestinian people and on the side of Palestinian resistance to occupation and colonialism,” Saber said.
“Such international solidarity is extremely important in our struggle for liberation. The struggle against injustice is global, as expressed by Nelson Mandela when he said that South Africans will not be free until Palestinians are,” he said.
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Saber added Palestinians welcomed the support from across the globe.
“We welcome this global support, and with its intensification, we will move closer to our liberation. We call on supporters of the Palestinian people all over the world not to slow their protests. The demand for a ceasefire must be strengthened until the bombs stop raining down on the heads of Palestinians in Gaza.
“Tens of millions of people around the world are crying for 20 000 Gazans killed in the past two months; 70% of them children and women, and for Gazan being reduced to rubble. Their solidarity will always be remembered as a factor in our eventual liberation,” he said.
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