Senior Hamas official Fathi Hammad tested positive for the coronavirus on Friday and was put into quarantine, the Gaza-based terrorist group said.
In an infamous speech in July 2019, Hammad, widely considered a hardliner even by Hamas' standards, called for members of the Palestinian diaspora to "slaughter" Jews wherever they could.
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The Hamas-operated Al-Aqsa TV station aired Hammad's speech, which was translated by the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI), a nongovernmental organization that monitors the Arab media.
Hammad, 59, said Palestinians everywhere should use the "many methods and means" that are "up their sleeves" to "powerfully explode" in Israel's face.
Contrary to what Israel thinks, Hammad said, the Gazans are not rational, and that if they die they will do so honorably while "cutting off the heads of Jews and killing them with explosive belts," which he said Hamas has been actively manufacturing in factories.
Calling on the seven million Palestinians abroad, whom he said have been "warming up" and "preparing," Hammad said: "Enough warming up. … We must attack every Jew on planet Earth and slaughter and kill them."
Hammad, according to MEMRI, also encouraged Palestinians in the West Bank to purchase knives in order to "cut the necks of Jews," saying knives only cost 5 shekels ($1.40).
"We will die while exploding and cutting the necks and legs of the Jews. We will lacerate them and tear them to pieces, Allah willing!" Hammad said.
Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip, said at the time that Hammad's remarks conflicted with its amended charter that restricted Hamas' conflict to the Israeli occupation, "not the Jews or their religion," according to the rare statement.
Several Hamas officials have been infected with the novel coronavirus, including deputy Hamas chief Saleh al-Arouri. All have survived the virus without any reported complications.
Earlier Friday, the health ministry in Gaza said coronavirus-related deaths in the coastal enclave had reached 45 people.
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