Hamas Leader Khaled Mashaal Mistakenly Blesses a “Free Israel”

In a rare moment that sent shockwaves across social media, Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal accidentally concluded his remarks at the 17th Al Jazeera Forum in Doha by blessing “a free Israel.” The video clip, subtitled and widely circulated online, shows Mashaal saying the phrase before swiftly correcting himself with “and a free Palestine.”

The apparent Freudian slip immediately drew widespread attention in Israel, where users were quick to highlight the irony of a senior Hamas figure long committed to Israel’s destruction invoking a phrase typically used by Zionist supporters.

Though the official transcript omitted the gaffe, the moment was captured clearly on video and rapidly gained traction among Israeli commentators and social media users. Some suggested it was a momentary lapse of messaging discipline. Others couldn’t resist calling it divine irony.

Mashaal, speaking at length during the conference, reiterated Hamas’ total rejection of disarmament efforts. “As long as our people are under occupation, talk of disarmament is an attempt to turn our people into victims,” he said, defending Hamas’ arsenal despite global calls for demilitarization following the atrocities of October 7.

He further stated, “Some want to place it in the context that whoever carried out Oct. 7 must be cornered and made to pay the price. As those who participated in the resistance, we must not accept this.” Mashaal’s unapologetic stance aligns with Hamas’ continued defiance in the face of international pressure.

For many Israelis, however, the headline wasn’t about policy it was about the unintended truth uttered by a man who has spent decades fueling terror. The accidental blessing for a “free Israel” stands in stark contrast to his years of orchestrating attacks meant to end its very existence.

Mashaal’s long and violent history with Israel includes a failed assassination attempt in 1997, when Israeli agents poisoned him in Amman. He was only saved after King Hussein of Jordan pressured Israel to provide the antidote under threat of breaking the peace treaty.

More than 25 years later, Mashaal is still delivering speeches but this time, his own words may have betrayed him. Whether it was a slip or a subconscious moment of clarity, his phrase "a free Israel" is now etched in viral history.

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