Yahya Sinwar
Yahya SinwarReuters

Hamas leader in Gaza Yahya Sinwar said he prefers calm to war and that there is a "real opportunity for change" in Hamas' relationship with Israel.

In a Thursday morning interview with Yediot Aharonot, Sinwar said, "A new war is not in anyone's interests, and certainly not in our interest."

Sinwar also admitted that the IDF has an advantage over Hamas militarily.

"Who wants to fight a nuclear superpower with four slingshots?" he said. "With war, you get nothing."

However, he emphasized, "I'm not saying I won't fight anymore. I'm saying that I don't want more wars. What I want is an end to the siege, and my first obligation is to act in the interests of my nation - to protect it, and to protect its right to freedom and independence."

Blaming Israel for the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, Sinwar warned that there may be another round of violence.

"The responsibility belongs to the one who closed the borders, not to the one who tries to reopen them every time. My responsibility is to work with everyone who can help us end the siege. In the current situation, an explosion is unavoidable."

He also claimed that his aim is not to destroy Israel but rather "quiet in exchange for quiet and in exchange lifting the siege.... The siege is not quiet." Regarding the two Israeli civilians being held by Hamas, Sinwar said that the release of convicted Hamas terrorists is "crucial" to achieving any agreement with Israel.

The release of these terrorists, he said, is "not a political question, it's a moral question. I see it as an obligation, and I will do everything I can to release those who are imprisoned."

Despite the West’s claims that there is a “siege” on Gaza, Israel continues to regularly allow humanitarian aid and construction materials into Gaza, even though Hamas continues to attack southern Israel with rockets and openly threatens to destroy the Jewish state.

Israel imposes a naval blockade on Gaza in order to prevent its Hamas terrorist rulers from smuggling weapons into the enclave.

Gaza shares a border with Israel as well as a border with Egypt. However, its border with Egypt is mostly kept closed as well. Egypt blames Hamas terrorists for providing the weapons for a lethal 2014 attack, which killed 30 soldiers, through one of its smuggling tunnels under the border to Sinai. Hamas denies the allegations.

Hamas also claims Israel and the Palestinian Authority is responsible for the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, while in fact the controlling power in Gaza is Hamas itself.