Hamas Shura Council member and former Hamas MP Sayed Abu Musameh, who served as Hamas leader Ahmed Yasin’s chief of staff, said in a September 18, 2025 interview with Al-Araby Network (Qatar) that he had warned Hamas leadership against embarking on a “bone-crushing war” against Israel prior to October 7. However, he explained, they held a different view, believing that nations must pay a price for liberation, citing examples such as Algeria and Vietnam. He said that the entire Hamas leadership agreed on this approach.

Abu Musameh emphasized that there is no difference between the political and military leaders: the military leadership is subordinate to the political leadership and serves as an executive tool carrying out the movement’s political decisions. He also stated that there are no differences of opinion between Hamas abroad and Hamas in Gaza. Abu Musameh stated that while the political leadership knew about the operation, they did not know when or where it would take place, and he explained that only three people were aware of the entire plan: Marwan Issa, Yahya Sinwar, and Mohammed Deif.

Abu Musameh added that Hamas had expected greater support from Hizbullah and Iran, and that Iran had provided only some logistical assistance.