Hamas, on Osama bin Laden

Over the past days, contemplating Hamas's murderous, sadistic, gruesome attacks in Israel, I have thought of the group's reaction, in May of 2011, to the death of the mass murderer Osama bin Laden.

News reports at the time cited Ismail Haniyeh, who today is head of the Hamas Political Bureau; he has held this position since 2017.

One 2011 report said this: 

Ismail Haniyeh, head of the Hamas administration in the Gaza Strip, told reporters that the group regards bin Laden's death "as a continuation of the American policy based on oppression and the shedding of Muslim and Arab blood."

Though he noted doctrinal differences between bin Laden's al Qaeda and Hamas, Haniyeh said: "We condemn the assassination and the killing of an Arab holy warrior. We ask God to offer him mercy with the true believers and the martyrs." 

https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4063407,00.html