Abu Obaida (Hamas)

Abu Obaida (Arabic: أبو عبيدة, romanized: Abū ʿUbayda), also spelled Abu Obayda, Abu Ubayda and Abu Ubaydah, is the nom de guerre of a Palestinian militant who is the spokeperson for the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Islamist Palestinian political and military organization Hamas.[1]

This article is about the spokesman for Hamas' military wing. For other uses, see Abu Ubaidah (disambiguation).

Abu Obaida
أبو عبيدة
NationalityPalestinian
OrganizationAl-Qassam Brigades

Personal details

Abu Obaida's actual name is not known, and neither are most of his personal details. He only appears wearing a keffiyeh covering his face. In 2014, Israeli media outlets released a photo, allegedly of Abu Obaida, with the name Huzaifa Samir Abdullah al-Kahloot. However, the validity of the photo and name were denied by the al-Qassam Brigades,[2] a senior leader of which said that Abu Obaida "does not and will not appear to the media," and that only a small number of people knew who he actually was.

The pseudonym likely refers to Abu Ubayda ibn al-Jarrah, companion of the Prophet Muhammad and the commander of Rashidun Caliphate forces during the Battle of the Yarmuk and Siege of Jerusalem during the 7th century.

Abu Obaida's first appearance was in 2006, when he announced the capture of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.

Statements

In June 2020, in response to plans by Israeli leaders to officially annex parts of the West Bank, Abu Obaida said that "the forces of the resistance will faithfully protect the Palestinian people," and vowed to "make the enemy bite its fingers in regret for such a sinful decision." He described the Israeli plans as a "declaration of war."[3]

During the 2021 escalation in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, Abu Obaida said that striking Tel Aviv, Dimona, Ashdod, Ashkelon and Beersheba were "easier for us than drinking water,"[4] proclaiming that "there are no red lines when responding to the agression."[5] After a ceasefire agreement was reached, he said, "With the help of God, we were able to humiliate the enemy, its fragile entity and its savage army."[6]

In September 2021, after four out of the six Gilboa prison escapees were rearrested by Israeli forces, Abu Obaida announced that no future prisoner exchange with Israel would take place without freeing the escapees, saying that “if the heroes of the Freedom Tunnel have liberated themselves this time from underground, we promise them and our free prisoners that they will be liberated soon, God willing, from above ground.”[7]

In May 2022, in response to Israeli calls to assassinate Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar following several Palestinian attacks on Israelis, Abu Obaida said that if "the enemy and its failing leadership" hurt Sinwar, it would unleash a "regional earthquake and an unprecedented response."[8]

In June 2022, Abu Obaida announced that the medical condition of one of the Israeli captives in Gaza has deteriorated.[9] The al-Qassam Brigades later released a video showing that the captive in question was Hisham al-Sayed.[10]

In October 2023, during the 2023 Israel–Hamas war, Abu Obaida said that Hamas will kill one civilian hostage every time Israel targets Gaza "without warning". “We announce that every targeting of our people who are safe in their homes without warning, we will meet with the execution of our enemy’s civilian hostages,” Obeida said in his statement. He also said that the executions would be broadcast “in audio and video.”[11]

References
  1. "What about Hamas? Question snarls peace bid". NBC News. 7 October 2009. Retrieved 2022-07-02.
  2. Press, Zamn (25 July 2014). "القسام: صورة أبو عبيدة المتداولة غير حقيقية". zamnpress.com (in Arabic). Retrieved 2022-07-02.
  3. "Hamas Says West Bank Annexation Is 'A Declaration of War,' Israel 'Will Regret It'". Haaretz. Retrieved 2022-07-03.
  4. Episkopos, Mark (2021-05-13). "Is Israel's Iron Dome Enough to Protect It From Hamas?". The National Interest. Retrieved 2022-07-02.
  5. https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/no-red-lines-in-responding-to-israeli-aggression-hamas/2240164&usg=AOvVaw3mLrpeMAqmIx-lTrvg9cF7. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  6. Al-Mughrabi, Nidal; Williams, Dan (2021-05-19). "Israel and Hamas agree Gaza truce, Biden pledges assistance". Reuters. Retrieved 2022-07-04.
  7. "With rockets and rhetoric, Hamas seeks to leverage Palestinian prisoner escape". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2022-07-03.
  8. "Egyptian Officials Mediating to Prevent Gaza Rocket Fire at Israel, Report Says". Haaretz. Retrieved 2022-07-03.
  9. "Isreali prisoner's health is deteriorating: Al-Qassam".
  10. "Hamas video claims to show captive Israeli". BBC News. 2022-06-28. Retrieved 2022-07-03.
  11. "Hamas threatens to kill a civilian hostage every time Israel hits Gaza civilians 'without warning'". NBC News. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2023-10-11.
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