Hamas Minister: "Half of the Palestinians Are Egyptians and the Other Half Are Saudis" (MEMRI TV)
Hamas Minister of the Interior and of National Security Fathi Hammad told Egypt's Al-Hekma TV on March 23, 2012:
"Every Palestinian, in Gaza and throughout Palestine, can prove his Arab roots - whether from Saudi Arabia, from Yemen, or anywhere. We have blood ties."
"Personally, half my family is Egyptian. We are all like that. More than 30 families in Gaza are called Al-Masri ["Egyptian"]. Brothers, half of the Palestinians are Egyptians and the other half are Saudis."
"Who are the Palestinians? We have many families called Al-Masri, whose roots are Egyptian. Egyptian! They may be from Alexandria, from Cairo, from Dumietta, from the North, from Aswan, from Upper Egypt. We are Egyptians. We are Arabs. We are Muslims. We are a part of you."