Hamas co-founder snaps after being questioned on Oct 7 aftermath: 'Go to hell'

A prominent Hamas leader lost his temper and stormed off from a live interview after being pressed on the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks - and the devastating impact of the subsequent war in Gaza.

"Was what you did on October 7 to lead the Palestinians to liberation?" the host asked in the Friday night interview. 

Marzouk, who is based in Qatar and is one of Hamas's founding members, bristled and insisted the question was disrespectful and that a small group of fighters could never "liberate" Palestine on its own. 

"No sane person would claim that on October 7, with just a thousand or so fighters, it was possible to liberate Palestine," he said.

The journalist then continued, saying: "I am asking you the questions that are being asked on the streets of Palestine, by the residents of Gaza."

As the exchange grew tense, Marzouk snapped.

"These are your questions! Show some respect for yourself. I don't want to talk to you. I don't want to see you. Cut it out. Cut it out. Go to hell!" he said.

Once seen as a polished Hamas spokesperson, Arab commentators saw his on-air outburst as a signal of a widening rift among the organization's leadership as Gaza lies in ruins.

Jamal Nazzal, a spokesperson for the Palestinian political and nationalist movement Fatah, slammed Marzouk's remarks.

Nazzal said his comments were "a disgrace that exposes the moral and political bankruptcy of a crumbling group that can no longer look people in the eye," according to The Jerusalem Post. 

"If it was expected that what happened would happen, there wouldn't have been Oct. 7," he said.

Marzouk has been described in multiple reports as a billionaire, though his exact fortune remains unclear. 

In a statement posted after The New York Times' story, Hamas said that the comments were "incorrect" and taken out of context.