Former Hamas Chief Urges Neighbours To Join War Against Israel

Khaled Mashaal called for protests across the Muslim world on Friday in support of the Palestinians and for the peoples of neighbouring countries to join the fight against Israel.

Israel-Gaza War: As the war between Israel and the militant group Hamas rages on, former Hamas chief Khaled Mashaal called for protests across the Muslim world in support of the Palestinians and for the peoples of neighbouring countries to join the fight against Israel, as reported by the news agency Reuters.

Meshaal currently heads Hamas's diaspora office. "[We must] head to the squares and streets of the Arab and Islamic world on Friday,", he said in a recorded statement sent to Reuters. Meshaal urged for support from Jordan and said, "Tribes of Jordan, sons of Jordan, brothers and sisters of Jordan... This is a moment of truth, and the borders are close to you, you all know your responsibility," as quoted by Reuters.

This comes days after Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and opposition leader MK Benny Gantz, who also served as head of the army and defence minister, reached an agreement to form an “emergency government” as the conflict with Hamas reached the fifth day on Wednesday, BBC reported.

According to the report, Gantz will join the Netanyahu-led government and be a part of Israel’s war cabinet. The war cabinet is a small forum of ministers who are tasked with shaping the country’s strategy in the war with Hamas. Gantz also asserted that the priority for Israel now is to win the war against Hamas, stated the report.

“The sides agreed to form a war cabinet comprising PM Netanyahu, Benny Gantz and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant and during the fighting with Hamas in Gaza will not promote any unrelated policy or laws,” a statement issued by Gantz's National Unity party said, as reported by news agency Reuters.

According to a report by Times of Israel, PM Netanyahu and opposition leader Gantz held a private meeting at the Kirya military headquarters in Tel Aviv

Hamas Should Be Crushed, Says Israeli PM Netanyahu

Netanyahu said on Thursday that Hamas should be crushed and that the group should be treated the same way as the Islamic State, or ISIS. Speaking at a joint press conference with US State Secretary Antony Blinken, Netanyahu said that Hamas should be "spit out from the community of nations," with countries facing sanctions if they harbour Hamas.

"Hamas is ISIS, and just as ISIS was crushed, so too will Hamas be crushed. Hamas should be treated exactly the way ISIS was treated. They should be spit out from the community of nations. No leader should meet them, no country should harbour them and those that do should be sanctioned" he said.