Gazans slam Hamas leader Haniyeh for painting life in Gaza as 'wonderful'

A controversial statement of Hamas leader about life in the coastal city under Hamas's rule enraged many Gazans.

By MAAYAN GROISMAN
Senior Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh delivers a speech during Friday prayers, September 5, 2014. (photo credit: REUTERS)
Senior Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh delivers a speech during Friday prayers, September 5, 2014.
(photo credit: REUTERS)
Senior Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh's controversial statements Friday describing life in the Gaza Strip as "wonderful" aroused mayhem on Palestinian social media networks over the weekend, where a group of Gazan activists launched a campaign against the Palestinian terrorist group.
"Gaza is more stable and secure than the West Bank. Life in Gaza is wonderful and we are happy with it. Gaza is the city of security, the land of Islam and peace and the land of resistance. There are neither oppressors nor oppressed people in Gaza," Haniyeh said in a sermon in Gaza on Friday.
In addition, Haniyeh stated that Hamas will never forgo the idea of having a sea port in Gaza.
"A sea port in Gaza means avenging the blood of the Mavi Marmara martyrs who aimed to break the siege on Gaza," he stressed.
Relating to the 10-year Israeli-imposed blockade on Gaza, the senior Hamas leader said: "They will never push us to give up on our principles. The continuation of the siege amounts to a continuation of Palestinian steadfastness and resistance."
To many Gazans who are suffering from growing economic distress and dire humanitarian conditions, Haniyeh's description of life in Gaza sounded like a pipe dream.
Thus, a group of Gazan activists launched an anti-Hamas campaign on Twitter under the hashtag "#WhatIsWonderful?"
A Twitter user named Hussein from Gaza wrote: "Wonderful is a planet Haniyeh and his people are living on, disconnected from the Palestinian people."
Another Gazan citizen, Tareq Farra, posted to social media saying: "Ismail Haniyeh said that life in Gaza is wonderful, ignoring all the problems of poverty and unemployment."


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