Cairo: Hamas emphasized Sunday that the Palestinian people have the right to govern their own land, and as long as the Israeli occupation continues, they will not lay down their arms.

According to Anadolu Agency, Khaled Meshaal, the group's foreign affairs chief, declared that no external political system can be imposed on them. Hamas shared a video from Meshaal's speech at a ceremony held in Cairo, Egypt, honoring Palestinian prisoners who were released and exiled as part of a prisoner swap and ceasefire agreement with Israel.

Meshaal stated, "Gaza belongs only to its people; neither Gaza nor the West Bank's people will exchange their homeland for anywhere else," underscoring the strong attachment of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank to their land. He articulated that Palestine has no alternative other than Palestine, while maintaining respect for Arab and Islamic countries, affirming that nothing can replace their homeland.

He further emphasized that Palestine will be governed solely by its people, with no foreign political system being imposed, and asserted that disarming an occupied people is not an option. He highlighted the importance of national unity in facing the challenges that Palestine is encountering and called on the Arab world to stand by the Palestinian people.

Meshaal drew attention to what he described as a major conspiracy facing Gaza, with attempts to force the population into exile by starving them. He expressed concerns that the future of Gaza, its governance, its weapons, and the strength of its resistance are under threat.

He also expressed appreciation for the Arab League's decisions rejecting the forced migration of Palestinians, emphasizing that the threat is no longer limited to Gaza and the West Bank but also includes countries like Egypt, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia, with their leaders beginning to recognize this threat. Meshaal referred to certain world and regional leaders' plans to relocate Palestinians to other countries, and called on the Muslim community to take further steps in addressing these threats.

Meshaal concluded by reiterating that the path to regaining their homeland, freeing prisoners, and achieving independence lies through "jihad," drawing a parallel with historical conflicts, such as the Oct. 6, 1973 War, and more recent events, including the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel.