Hamas Announces 'Operation Al-Aqsa Flood'

Hamas military commander Mohammed Deif announced 'Operation Al-Aqsa Flood' (Toufan Al-Aqsa) via recorded audio message broadcast at 6:47 AM. Deif called on all Palestinians to 'fight' and declared the operation a response to Israeli 'desecration' of Al-Aqsa Mosque and ongoing settler violence in the West Bank. He urged all armed groups — Islamic Jihad, PFLP, and others — to join the assault. Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh issued a statement from Qatar praising the attack.