Hamas leaders met Pakistani terror groups in PoK before Pahalgam attack, says Israel envoy
New Delhi, April 25 (IANS) The deadly alliance between terror outfit Hamas and Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), now expanding its network and operations from the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) to the streets of Bangladesh, lies exposed once again after Tuesday's barbaric killing of innocent civilians in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam.
Two months before the Pahalgam attack that killed 26 civilians, senior Hamas leaders met Pakistani terrorist groups in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). Israel's envoy to India, Reuven Azar, has drawn sharp parallels between the Jammu and Kashmir attack and Hamas's October 2023 assault on Israel. Indian intelligence has flagged growing links between Hamas and Pakistan-based groups, deepening concerns over cross-border terror networks. Amid these developments, Israel continues to press India to officially designate Hamas as a terrorist organisation.
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Hamas Delegation's Visit to PoK Raises Alarms
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Growing presence of Hamas in Pakistan
Pakistan's PoK desperation amid Indian pressure
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Israel presses India on Hamas designation
The terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam, which left 26 civilians dead, bears striking similarities to the Hamas-led massacre in Israel last year, according to Israel's Ambassador to India, Reuven Azar.'There are similarities between the Pahalgam attack and what happened on October 7 [2023] in Israel. Innocent tourists were enjoying their vacation in Pahalgam, while in Israel, people were celebrating at a music festival,' Azar told PTI.Around 1,200 Israelis were killed in that attack, sparking Israel's long and ongoing war in Gaza.Azar warned that global terror outfits are now collaborating more closely. Speaking to NDTV, he said, "The terrorists are collaborating at all levels and trying to be copycats of each other. I am sure the intelligence agencies are working together to defeat them."According to a TOI report , investigations revealed that two months before the Pahalgam attack, senior Hamas figures had travelled to PoK for a public gathering. Indian intelligence reports highlight that Hamas spokespersons Khalid Qaddoumi and Naji Zaheer, along with leaders Mufti Azam and Bilal Alsallat, attended a rally at Rawalakot on 5 February 2025.The rally, titled 'Kashmir Solidarity and Hamas Operation Al Aqsa Flood ,' was reportedly attended by nearly 100 foreign militants. Qaddoumi and others addressed the gathering, which coincided with Pakistan's annual observance of ' Kashmir Solidarity Day '.Photographs and footage from the event, reported by Moneycontrol.com, showed Hamas leaders wearing shawls adorned with the flags of Pakistan, Palestine, and Hamas. This marked an unprecedented moment: it was the first known visit of Palestinian militant leaders to PoK.The gathering is seen by Indian security officials as a deliberate move to link Pakistan's jihadi campaign in Kashmir with Hamas's struggle against Israel, portraying both as 'resistance against occupation.'This event in Rawalakot was not an isolated instance. Hamas representatives have made repeated visits to Pakistan over the past year, especially after their October 2023 assault on Israel.A Hamas team recently visited the Jaish-e-Mohammed headquarters in Bahawalpur, where they also toured a Pakistani Army facility inaugurated by Army chief Asim Munir. This facility lies close to Rajasthan and is strategically vital for Pakistan's military.In another development in January 2024, Hamas spokesperson Qaddoumi was invited to address Pakistan's Parliament. During the session, a Pakistani MP claimed that the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) was intended to counter China's Belt and Road Initiative and declared, 'That plan is now buried under the rubble of Gaza.'A security source told TOI that Hamas leaders had also organised an 'Al-Aqsa Million March' in Karachi, with Qaddoumi praising Pakistan as an "elder brother" for hosting 15 Palestinian prisoners freed under a ceasefire agreement with Israel.The timing of these Hamas visits coincides with heightened Pakistani political and military activity in PoK.A day before the Rawalakot rally, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army chief Asim Munir made a rare joint visit to Muzaffarabad, diverging from the traditional low-key observance of Kashmir Solidarity Day.Observers link this urgency to India's increasingly assertive claims over PoK following the revocation of Jammu and Kashmir's special status under Article 370. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had said last year that PoK would 'on its own' seek to join India once it witnesses the development happening across the Line of Control.External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, speaking at Chatham House in London, reinforced this message. He said, "Look, in Kashmir, we have actually done a good job solving most of it. I think removing Article 370 was step number one. Then, restoring growth, economic activity, and social justice in Kashmir was step number two. Holding elections with a very high turnout was step number three."He added, "I think the part we are waiting for is the return of the stolen part of Kashmir, which is under illegal Pakistani occupation. Once that is done, I assure you — Kashmir will be solved."Following the revelation of Hamas leaders' visit to PoK, Israel has once again urged India to formally classify Hamas as a terrorist organisation.While India condemned the October 7 attacks and expressed strong solidarity with Israel against terrorism, it has yet to proscribe Hamas under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. India continues to maintain diplomatic ties with Palestine and reiterates support for a two-state solution.In contrast, Israel outlawed Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) in 2023 for its role in the 2008 Mumbai attacks. At the time, Israel's Ambassador to India, Naor Gilon, said he hoped New Delhi would soon designate Hamas as a terrorist outfit, revealing that intelligence on Hamas activities had been shared with the Modi government.When questioned about Hamas in Parliament, India's Ministry of External Affairs responded by stating that designation of any organisation under terrorism laws is considered in accordance with the provisions of the Act by the relevant government departments.(With inputs from TOI, PTI)
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