Palestinian Islamic Jihad Secretary-General Ziad al-Nakhalah has reaffirmed the Palestinian people's determination to remain on their land and resist the Israeli occupation, stressing that the Palestinian struggle will continue until the occupation and its aggression are brought to an end.

Al-Nakhalah made the remarks in a statement marking the 39th anniversary of the Islamic Jihad movement and the third anniversary of Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, which he described as a natural response to decades of Israeli occupation, aggression, siege and attacks against the Palestinian people and Al-Aqsa Mosque.

He said Palestinians had endured three years of relentless Israeli attacks backed by the United States, including mass killings, destruction and forced displacement across the Gaza Strip.

As the Israeli aggression enters its fourth year, more than 80,000 Palestinians have been martyred, according to figures cited by Al Mayadeen. Al-Nakhalah said those who were martyred on the various fronts of the confrontation would remain part of Palestinian history and would never be forgotten.

Al-Nakhalah strongly condemned continuing attempts to forcibly displace Palestinians from the Gaza Strip, saying such plans expose the “malicious objectives” of the Israeli occupation and its allies, foremost among them the United States.

He stressed that the Palestinian people would not abandon their homeland or surrender their land to those responsible for the killing and destruction.

“Thousands of Palestinians confronted the enemy with great resolve,” al-Nakhalah said, emphasizing the steadfastness of Palestinians despite the enormous suffering inflicted on Gaza.

He affirmed that the Palestinian people would continue their resistance through all available means as long as the Israeli occupation and what he called the “Zionist project” remain in place.

For Palestinians, he said, surrendering their homeland is not an option, regardless of the scale of the aggression or the political and military pressure imposed upon them.

The Islamic Jihad leader said the Palestinian Resistance had repeatedly sought to end the bloodshed and had positively engaged with mediators pursuing ceasefire initiatives.

He said the Resistance had presented numerous proposals but that the Israeli occupation had repeatedly rejected them while continuing its military campaign and expanding its attacks into the occupied West Bank.

“Despite dozens of initiatives and the Resistance releasing enemy captives, the enemy continued its aggression,” al-Nakhalah said.

He accused the occupation of pursuing its campaign of killing and forced displacement despite diplomatic efforts aimed at stopping the war.

Al-Nakhalah renewed Islamic Jihad's commitment to resistance and stressed that Israeli and US pressure would not break the unity of the Palestinian Resistance.

“The unity of the Resistance forces in Palestine and the region will remain in place and cohesive regardless of the challenges and pressures,” he said.

He emphasized that cooperation among Palestinian Resistance factions would continue, describing unity as a key element in confronting the Israeli occupation and defending the Palestinian cause.

Al-Nakhalah paid tribute to the Lebanese people and the Lebanese Resistance for their support for Gaza and honored those who had been martyred while confronting Israeli forces.

He described the broader confrontation with Israel as “a battle of one nation against one enemy,” stressing the importance of regional solidarity with the Palestinian people.

The Islamic Jihad leader also saluted the people of Yemen and the Yemeni fighters who, he said, had stood firmly alongside Gaza despite immense pressure.

“The dear Yemeni people and their fighters stood firm on the battlefield and offered honorable martyrs without retreat,” he said.

He stressed that the bonds of solidarity among the Palestinian Resistance and its allies in the region would remain strong despite attempts to isolate and weaken the Resistance.

Al-Nakhalah concluded by paying tribute to Sayyed Ali Khamenei, saying his martyrdom would remain a major symbol in confronting what he described as Israeli “arrogance” and the expansion of the Israeli project in the region.

His remarks reaffirmed Islamic Jihad's position that the Palestinian cause remains a central issue for the Muslim Ummah and that the struggle for Palestine cannot be separated from the defense of Al-Aqsa Mosque and the rights of the Palestinian people.

Three years after Al-Aqsa Flood, Gaza continues to bear the devastating consequences of Israeli attacks, with vast destruction and mass civilian casualties. Yet Palestinian Resistance factions maintain that the immense sacrifices made by the people of Gaza will not be in vain and that the Palestinian people will remain steadfast on their land until their rights are restored and the occupation is ended. (ILKHA)