The so-called ‘Palestinian National Security forces affiliated with the Palestinian Authority (PA) opened fire on the funeral of martyr Hamza Shaheen, who passed away on Friday night in an explosion in the Burj al-Shemali camp in the port city of Tyre. 

Although the funeral is organized and attended by Palestinian factions, dozens of Lebanese and Palestinian figures, thousands of Palestinian citizens, scholars, figures, politicians, lawmakers, and representatives from the Palestinian factions, the PA-affiliated forces in the refugee camp deliberately and intentionally opened fire towards the funeral using machine guns. 

Unfortunately, the deliberate shooting at the funeral caused the death of three Hamas members in Lebanon who are: 
1-    Mohammed Waleed Taha, 30, from Ain Al-Hilweh refugee camp. 

2-    Hussein Mohammed Al-Ahmed from Mieh Mieh refugee camp

3-    Omar Mohammed Al-Sahli, from the Mieh Mieh refugee camp, is the only born in his family. 

Many other Palestinians were wounded in the incident. 

In light of this unprecedented incident that recalled Israeli occupation forces’ crimes at funerals of Palestinian martyrs, the Hamas movement emphasizes the following: 

First: We hold the so-called ‘Palestinian National Security forces, the PA, and its security forces in Lebanon fully responsible for this awful crime and deliberate assassination of Palestinians participating in the funeral. 

Second: This massacre targets all members of the Palestinian society based in Lebanon, and it amounts to an offensive against the Palestinian people and factions in the country. 

Third: This crime intends to sabotage the civil peace, security, and stability of the Palestinian society residing in Lebanon. As this crime is committed while Lebanon faces economic and social crises and is being targeted by Israeli plots, this murder threatens the Lebanese people’s security at a hot spot located in the country's southern area, which backs the Palestinian resistance. 

Fourth: This heinous crime fully serves the Israeli occupation that always plans to target Palestinian refugee camps to abolish the right of return and impose resettlement on the Palestinian refugees. 

Fifth: We call on Fatah and the other Palestinian factions and political parties to condemn and denounce this plot by the so-called ‘Palestinian National Security forces’ that solely serve the Israeli occupation. The existence of such security forces in Lebanon has become useless and pointless, as it threatens security at the refugee camps. 

Sixth: We demand Palestinians deliver murderers over to the Lebanese security forces and hold them, and everyone who has a hand in the crime, accountable. We urge the Lebanese security forces to chase those criminals and halt any coordination with the security groups that perpetrated today’s massacre. 

Seventh: We hail the families of the martyrs and share their sorrow and pain. We deem the deceased martyrs of the Palestinian people, as ‘martyrs of the Palestinian resistance’, and ‘martyrs of Hamas’. 

Eighth: We hail the Palestinian people in the refugee camps in Lebanon and particularly in the Burj al-Shemali for supporting the Palestinian resistance and the Palestinian martyrs. 

We, in the Hamas movement, are proud of the Palestinian steadfastness and courageous resistance against Israeli practices and terrorism. Additionally, Hamas emphasizes that the Palestinians will continue on the path of resistance, until liberation, independence, and establishment of the Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its eternal capital. 

The Palestinian people managed to stand steadfast in the face of the Israeli occupation, so they will not be deterred by some criminals.

Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas 
Sunday, December 12, 2021