‘An Existential War’ — Hamas, Islamic Jihad Link Attack on Iran to Gaza Genocide

By Palestine Chronicle Staff

Palestinian resistance factions rally behind Iran on Quds Day, linking the regional war to Israel’s failures in Gaza.

Key Takeaways

• Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and the Palestinian Resistance Committees issued Quds Day statements expressing solidarity with Iran.

• Resistance factions say the US-Israeli war on Iran stems from Israel’s failure to defeat resistance in Gaza and Lebanon.

• Quds Day demonstrations reinforce Palestine as the central political cause uniting resistance movements across the region.

Quds Day Message

Palestinian resistance movements used International Quds Day on March 13 to deliver a clear political message: the widening regional war cannot be separated from the Palestinian struggle.

In a statement marking the occasion, Hamas emphasized that Jerusalem remains the central reference point of the confrontation with Israel.

“Jerusalem is not a political detail but the compass of truth, and Palestine will remain the standard of justice by which wills are tested until liberation and return are achieved,” the movement said.

Hamas also stressed that defending Jerusalem and the Al-Aqsa Mosque is a responsibility shared across the Muslim world.

“Protecting Al-Aqsa and standing for Jerusalem is a shared responsibility around which the nation must unite—its leaders, governments, peoples, and institutions,” the statement said.

The movement said Quds Day this year carries particular significance because it comes amid what it described as a “Zionist-American war” unfolding across the region.

“This year’s International Quds Day is an opportunity to unify the efforts of the nation and strengthen joint action to support the steadfastness of Jerusalem and those defending it in the face of the Zionist-American war,” Hamas said.

The group warned that the events unfolding across the region are not isolated crises but part of a broader strategy.

“What is happening are not isolated incidents but links in a project aimed at breaking the will of the region’s peoples and dismantling the elements of resistance and defiance,” the statement said.

Solidarity with Iran

Other Palestinian factions echoed the same position, directly expressing support for Iran amid the ongoing war.

The Palestinian Resistance Committees reaffirmed their backing for Tehran and other forces confronting Israel across the region.

“We renew our full solidarity with the Islamic Republic of Iran, with the Lebanese people and their resistance, and with the Islamic resistance in Iraq,” the movement said.

The Committees argued that Iran is being targeted precisely because of its position on Palestine.

“The Zionist-American targeting of Iran comes as a result of its absolute commitment to the cause of liberating Palestine and Jerusalem,” the statement said.

The movement also praised what it described as Iran’s role in supporting resistance movements.

“Iran’s revolutionary path in supporting resistance against global arrogance is a source of pride and dignity for the nation,” the statement said.

Islamic Jihad Warning

Palestinian Islamic Jihad also issued a Quds Day statement warning that the region has entered what it described as a historic confrontation.

“What the region is witnessing today is an existential war ignited by the leaders of the Zionist entity, led by war criminal Netanyahu,” the movement said.

Islamic Jihad said Israel’s strategy is aimed at imposing dominance across the region.

“Netanyahu has clearly declared an open aggression against Muslims in order to impose control and hegemony over our region and our nation,” the statement said.

The group called for unity across the Arab and Muslim worlds.

“We call on the Arab and Islamic nation to unite and stand firm to defeat the objectives of this comprehensive aggression in defense of our land, our holy sites, and the future of our generations,” the movement said.

The movement also praised Iran directly.

“We salute the Islamic Republic of Iran—its leadership, government, and people—for its heroic steadfastness in confronting the American-Israeli aggression,” Islamic Jihad said.

War Beyond Gaza

For Palestinian resistance movements, the war on Iran is not a separate conflict but the latest stage of a confrontation that began in Gaza.

Since the start of Israel’s genocidal war on the Gaza Strip, the Israeli military has unleashed one of the most destructive campaigns in modern Middle Eastern history.

Yet despite the massive destruction and tens of thousands of Palestinian casualties, Israel has failed to achieve its central strategic objective: defeating the resistance and imposing a new political order in Gaza.

Resistance factions continue to operate across the enclave despite relentless Israeli attacks.

At the same time, Israel has struggled to achieve decisive results on other fronts.

Along Israel’s northern border, Hezbollah in Lebanon has maintained steady military pressure, forcing Israel to divert resources and expand the conflict.

Meanwhile, Ansarallah in Yemen has launched attacks targeting shipping routes linked to Israel and its allies, creating another regional front.

From the perspective of Palestinian resistance groups, these developments reveal the limits of Israel’s military strategy.

The attack on Iran, they argue, represents an attempt to change the strategic equation after failing to defeat resistance movements in Gaza and elsewhere.

But the move may instead be reinforcing the very alliances Israel hoped to weaken.

Our Strategic Analysis

International Quds Day itself reflects that political dynamic.

First declared in 1979 following the Iranian Revolution, Quds Day is held annually on the last Friday of Ramadan to express solidarity with Palestinians and opposition to Israeli control over Jerusalem.

Over the decades, the event has evolved into a major political moment across the Middle East and beyond.

This year’s Quds Day carried particular significance because it took place amid an expanding regional war involving Iran, Israel, and the United States.

Large demonstrations were held across Iran despite ongoing air strikes, with participants expressing solidarity with Palestine and condemning Israel and the United States.

For Palestinian resistance movements, the symbolism of the day remains clear.

Palestine is not simply one issue among many in the region—it is the central political question shaping the broader confrontation.

And as the regional conflict widens, resistance groups say that reality is becoming more evident than ever.

(PC, Al-Mayadeen, Al-Manar, Resistance Movement Statements).