Jeremy Bowen presses Hamas deputy leader on October 7 attacks

Hamas’ most senior leader outside Gaza has told the BBC that the crisis his organization has unleashed in the Middle East, which has led to thousands of deaths across the region over the last year, is justified.

Khalil al-Hayya, the deputy leader of Hamas, was questioned by Jeremy Bowen, the BBC’s international editor, and denied overwhelming evidence that Hamas militants attacked civilians in the attacks on October 7 last year.

Around 1,200 people, mostly Israeli civilians, were killed and more than 250 taken hostage to Gaza. Hamas is classified as a terrorist organization by the United Kingdom and other governments.

Al-Hayya said the October 7 attacks last year were necessary to put the issue of Palestinian statehood back on the global agenda.

Asked whether he regretted an offensive that led to the deaths of more than 40,000 Gazans in Israeli attacks, he said that the Israeli occupation of land that Palestinians believe was theirs was the cause the violence and killing in the Middle East.

Without them, he said, the vicious cycle of violence in the Middle East would not end. Al-Hayya is the highest-ranking Hamas figure after leader Yahya Sinwar, who is believed to be in Gaza.

The interview took place in Doha, where most of Hamas’ political leadership is based. About an hour after the interview was recorded, Iran attacked Israel with ballistic missiles.