A fiery on-air clash erupted Friday night on the Emirati-funded Al Ghad television channel when senior Hamas official Mousa Abu Marzouq abruptly ended a live interview after being challenged with pointed questions regarding the October 7 attacks and the devastating toll of the ongoing war in Gaza.
The heated exchange quickly went viral across social media.
Abu Marzouq, a founding member of the terrorist organization, defended the group’s actions, stating Hamas had “fulfilled its national duty,” and adding, “We did what reality imposed upon us - resistance to occupation, against oppression, settlements and the imprisonment of our people in Israeli jails.”
When asked whether the war had advanced the Palestinian Arab cause, Abu Marzouq responded vaguely, “We will assess everything - where we succeeded and where we erred. But this is not how a campaign is measured. No one expects a liberation movement to achieve everything in one day.”
Tensions escalated when the interviewer pressed further, questioning whether the October 7 attacks could ever be considered a path to freedom or independence.
Visibly agitated, Abu Marzouq snapped, “No sane person would claim that on October 7, with just a thousand or so fighters, it was possible to liberate Palestine.” He then demanded, “Please, at least make your questions respectful.”
The interviewer calmly replied that he was voicing “the questions being asked on the Palestinian street, from the residents of Gaza.”
At that point, Abu Marzouq lost his temper, shouting, “These are your questions! Show some respect for yourself. I don’t want to speak with you. I don’t want to see you. Cut it. Cut it. Go to hell!” He then cut off the interview.
Remaining composed, the interviewer responded, “Excuse me, Mr. Mousa Abu Marzouq, I will not allow you to speak to me this way. This reaction sadly exposes the mindset of the Hamas leadership-the attempt to evade serious questions and real dialogue at this stage, in the face of the genocide against the Palestinian people.”