Member of Hamas political bureau Rawhi Mushtaha said that founding the movement 28 years ago was a significant achievement and a decisive moment for Palestinians.

In a hamas.ps special, Mushtaha said that while Palestinians were mourning the murder of Palestinian laborers by an Israeli settler few days before, the declaration of the new movement gave momentum to Palestinian protests and sparked the first intifada.

He said that Hamas endured Israeli hits one after another with marked resilience, noting that the creation of the movement’s armed wing (al-Qassam Brigades) in 1991 came after the occupation thought it had contained the movement with major arrest campaigns in 1988, 1989 and 1991.

Mushtaha underlined the movement’s success in integrating armed resistance with political and social work, confirming that Hamas grows stronger by the day.

“They thought they can sway us off the path of resistance, but we won the elections and, despite the siege, showed the world surprising steadfastness and durability.” Mushtaha said.

“I feel confident about Hamas’s future and the future of the Palestinian cause. Liberation is down the road.” He added.

Rawhi Mushtaha is a member of Hamas political bureau and a founder of its armed wing. He spent 20 years in Israeli prisons and was freed in the 2011 swab deal.