Gazans denounce claims Hamas is training extremists in Libya
Accusations by the spokesman of the forces of retired Maj. Gen. Khalifa Hifter that Hamas has provided technical support to some armed groups in Libya are rebutted and mocked by Palestinians amid a lack of evidence of Hamas’ involvement in the North African country.
An onslaught by Arab media outlets against the Hamas movement has gained momentum in the wake of the escalation of the Gulf-Qatar crisis.
On June 8, the spokesman for the Libyan National Army led by Gen. Khalifa Hifter, Ahmad al-Mesmari, accused Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, of training extremist members in Libya in the methods of booby-trapping and bombing.
At a June 8 press conference in Tripoli, Mesmari showed video footage of training and educational materials — on how to manufacture explosive devices and use machine guns — which he said belonged to members of the al-Qassam Brigades and which were allegedly found in the possession of captured extremist members in the Libyan city of Benghazi. He also accused the al-Qassam Brigades of providing technical assistance to terrorists on Libyan territory.
Hamas denied and rebuked all of these accusations. Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem told Al-Monitor, “These fabricated allegations by the spokesman of the Hifter forces aim to tarnish the reputation of the Palestinian resistance, which is defending the Palestinian people against Israel.”
