Two years have passed since Operation Al-Aqsa Flood erupted on October 7, 2023, shaking the foundations of the Israeli occupation regime and reshaping the geopolitical balance of the Middle East.

What began as a daring resistance operation led by the Palestinian factions in Gaza has evolved into a global awakening—a moral, spiritual, and political uprising against occupation and injustice.

Marking the second anniversary of the operation, Dr. Nawaf Takruri, the Head of the Council of Palestinian Scholars Abroad, offered an in-depth reflection on the significance of this turning point, its impact on the occupying entity, and the ongoing genocide in Gaza. In an exclusive interview with ILKHA, Dr. Takruri declared that Operation Al-Aqsa Flood “exposed the true face of the occupiers and revived the Palestinian cause after years of marginalization and betrayal.”

“Operation Al-Aqsa Flood Shattered the Myth of Israeli Invincibility”

For decades, the Israeli regime projected an image of military supremacy, intelligence precision, and unbreakable control. Operation Al-Aqsa Flood tore that image apart in a single morning.

“The flood irreversibly broke the enemy’s strength,” said Dr. Takruri. “By Allah’s will, this regime has been humiliated before the world. The operation revealed what was hidden—the destruction of hospitals, schools, and mosques; the massacres of children and women; the hypocrisy of those who claim to defend human rights. All these crimes were laid bare for humanity to see.”

The resistance’s ability to penetrate Israeli-controlled territories, seize military bases, and hold Israeli soldiers as prisoners dealt a psychological and strategic blow to the occupation unmatched since 1948.

“A Genocide Born of Desperation, Not Strength”

Following the operation, the Israeli regime unleashed an all-out assault on Gaza—a campaign of genocide, starvation, and destruction that continues into its second year. Yet, as Dr. Takruri noted, these crimes stem not from confidence but from panic and humiliation.

“Every crime the occupation commits today is to regain some of its lost prestige,” he explained. “Their massacres are acts of madness. They lost control of the narrative, their military credibility, and their moral standing. They kill to appear strong, but every bomb they drop only exposes their weakness.”

Despite the unspeakable toll—over 67,000 Palestinians killed and more than 170,000 wounded—the people of Gaza remain steadfast. Families endure hunger, displacement, and the loss of entire neighborhoods, yet they refuse to abandon their homeland. “The enemy’s strength is hollow,” Takruri said. “It is the resilience of our people that terrifies them.”

“A Flood That Reached the World”

Dr. Takruri emphasized that Operation Al-Aqsa Flood was not confined to Gaza’s borders. Its effects rippled across continents, exposing hypocrisy and inspiring solidarity.

“This flood spread to the entire world,” he said. “It revealed the humane and principled face of the free peoples—students, activists, and citizens who took to the streets of London, New York, Madrid, and Jakarta. At the same time, it exposed the falsehood of Western democracies—Washington, Paris, Berlin—whose leaders speak of freedom while funding genocide.”

Indeed, since October 2023, millions worldwide have joined unprecedented pro-Palestinian demonstrations, while several governments—including those of Spain, Ireland, and South Africa—have taken bold stands against Israeli crimes. In contrast, the so-called champions of human rights in the U.S. and Europe have armed the occupiers and blocked ceasefire resolutions at the U.N., deepening global disillusionment with Western moral leadership.

“Normalization Collapsed Under the Weight of Truth”

Before the flood, several Arab regimes had been racing toward normalization with the Zionist entity. Today, those projects lie in ruins.

“This flood closed the path of normalization for anyone with honor,” Dr. Takruri said. “Those who once sought to embrace the occupier are now silent, shamed before their people. If normalization continues, it will be by corrupt leaders, not nations. The peoples of the Ummah have spoken: Palestine cannot be sold.”

From Morocco to Indonesia, popular anger has pressured governments to reassess ties with the Israeli regime. Public opinion across the Muslim world has overwhelmingly shifted in favor of the Palestinian resistance and against those who align with Tel Aviv or Washington.

“No Decision Without the Mujahideen”

Dr. Takruri turned his criticism to the ongoing U.S.-brokered ceasefire talks, warning that recent plans presented by Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu are nothing more than attempts to reimpose colonial control.

“This is not a peace plan,” he declared. “It is a new Sykes-Picot designed to redraw our region under Zionist-American authority. No decision about Gaza or Palestine can be made without the mujahideen who fight on the ground. Any country that acts otherwise commits treason.”

He warned Arab and Muslim leaders that the Trump plan, if accepted, would permanently entrench the occupation. “Either these governments reject it openly, or they will share the fate of traitors,” he said.

According to Takruri, the proposed deal fails to demand Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza and instead seeks to impose foreign control over its governance. “Trump and Netanyahu want to install a colonial administration under their authority. This is not peace—it is the continuation of occupation by other means.”

“The Expansion of Occupation, Not the End of War”

Dr. Takruri described the so-called peace plan as “an expansion of the occupation.” He explained that any genuine agreement must include the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces, the release of Palestinian prisoners, and the recognition of a sovereign Palestinian state.

“What is being proposed instead is a trap,” he warned. “It is an occupation not only of Palestine but of every Arab country that signs it. Messages from Gaza are clear: do not accept this agreement. It will not end the massacres or displacement; it will increase them.”

“A Moral Awakening for Humanity”

Beyond the battlefield, Operation Al-Aqsa Flood has also sparked a global moral awakening. The imagery of resilience and faith emanating from Gaza has inspired movements across the world—activists, students, and ordinary citizens challenging the silence of their governments.

“Through their suffering, the people of Gaza have awakened the conscience of the world,” said Dr. Takruri. “The youth in Western universities, the people protesting in the streets, those who boycott and speak truth—these are all fruits of the flood.”

Indeed, the operation has united diverse movements under a shared call for justice—anti-war coalitions, decolonization activists, and faith-based communities—reviving the global solidarity once seen during the anti-apartheid struggle in South Africa.

“Faith, Resistance, and the Promise of Liberation”

Dr. Takruri concluded his message with an unwavering affirmation of faith in the eventual triumph of the Palestinian people.

“The occupation believes that destruction can extinguish our spirit,” he said. “But every demolished home, every martyred child, strengthens our resolve. The occupation will be expelled only after its disgrace is complete and its false image destroyed.”

He emphasized that resistance—rooted in faith and justice—remains the only path to liberation. “The mujahideen in Gaza fight not for political power but for the dignity of this Ummah. They are the conscience of our time. No agreement, no power, no external pressure can silence them or erase their sacrifice.”

A Legacy That Transcends Borders

Two years after Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, the struggle for Palestine has evolved from a local resistance into a pan-Islamic and global movement. Yemen’s missile operations against Israel, Hezbollah’s border clashes, and solidarity protests from Jakarta to Johannesburg all testify to the widening front of resistance.

The Palestinian struggle has become the moral compass of the Muslim world—a cause that unites the oppressed and exposes the hypocrisy of tyrants. As Dr. Takruri’s words echo through the anniversary commemorations, one truth stands clear: Operation Al-Aqsa Flood was not just a military event. It was the rebirth of a cause, the revival of an Ummah, and the beginning of the end for an aging occupation. (ILKHA)