Beirut, Asharq Al-Awsat- Hezbollah’s Deputy Secretary General Sheikh Naim Qasim has disclosed that the party was providing the Palestinians in Gaza “with all types of possible support” and said in a statement to the British Financial Times: “One of the resistance secrets is that we do not disclose details of this support but it suffices to say that we are giving the Palestinian resistance every type of support that can help it, every type that is possible.” He refrained from revealing whether Hezbollah was supplying Hamas with weapons or military training and said: “We leave this to appear at the proper time.”

Commenting on Qasim’s statement, Hamas leader Ahmad Abdul-Hadi did not deny or confirm this information when Asharq Al-Awsat contacted him in Beirut. He said: “The Palestinian resistance, including Hamas, welcomes any type of support from any of the parties that are concerned about the Palestinian people’s rights.” He stressed that “there is cooperation with all the parties, including Hezbollah” and said: “We are getting help in ways that never crosses the mind of people or anyone.”

Regarding the future of the relationship with Egypt in view of Qasim’s statement, he said “the party does not make futile statements. There is certainly some message it wants to send. Our stand is clear. We care about the future of the relationship that binds us to fraternal Egypt and appreciate all its efforts for the Palestinian cause. We also care about Egypt’s national security and the national security of any Arab country because out struggle is against the Israeli enemy. Hence the talk about cells being discovered here and there does not concern us. We stress that the problem raised with Hezbollah in Egypt has not affected our relationship with Egypt.” On the purport and timing of this message, he said: “It is Hezbollah which answers this question.”