I found this, an interview of Hamas founder Yassin by a reporter from China's Xinhua News Agency in 2003. If anyone is interested, here is the full text (translated by computer).
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Xinhua News Agency, Gaza, June 15 (Reporter Zhou Yijun) In the past five days, Israel has attacked Hamas targets in Gaza City for seven times in a row. Israeli Defense Minister Mofaz announced that all Hamas members, from low-level members to leaders, were the targets of Israeli strikes. Hamas pointed out that Israel had launched a "full-scale war" against them.
At 1pm on the 14th, I suddenly received permission to conduct an interview with Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, the founder and spiritual leader of Hamas, at his home in the southern part of Gaza City. Although the local employees who accompanied me were happy to have the opportunity for an interview, they looked mournfully and said, "I really hope they refuse the interview because Yassin is now a target of attack and missiles could fall at any time.
It is said that the security around Yassin's house is very tight, and anyone who approaches the house at night will be warned by shooting. Therefore, in my imagination, Yassin should live in a place similar to a castle. However, after getting off the bus, I found that it was just a few ordinary bungalows, with "armed struggle" and some slogans praising "Hamas" written on the outer walls, and pictures of arrested Palestinians pasted on the door. A few children were playing barefoot around... There was no difference between this place and any Palestinian refugee camp.
The door was small, only half open. A man with a large beard arranged us to wait in a small room on the left side of the entrance. "The Sheikh is in a meeting," he said. "Sheikh" refers to a person with high Islamic knowledge and high prestige in Arabic.
On the 13th, Israeli Prime Minister Sharon's office submitted a proposal to the Palestinian National Authority, proposing that Israel would cease all "clearance" operations against Palestinian militants for three consecutive days, but Palestinian radical organizations must also stop suicide attacks and stop launching rockets into southern Israel. Maybe Yassin is discussing with his men whether to accept the ceasefire?
About half an hour later, four or five men with big beards came out of Yassin's office and shook hands with their colleagues one by one, but they never looked at me. "Hamas doesn't shake hands with women," someone reminded me.
Yasin's office is about 20 square meters, with martyr portraits, photos of the Golden Mosque, a map of the Palestinian-Israeli region, and a large green Hamas flag hanging on the walls. In the row of showcases facing the door, there are open Korans, models of the Golden Mosque, and some books.
Yassin, who is paralyzed in his four limbs, is sitting in a wheelchair in front of the store window. Against the backdrop of the large window, the 67-year-old man looks very thin and small, with his hands hanging limply at his chest. The white clothes, white turban, silver beard, and sharp hook nose make me no longer doubt that the person in front of me is the top leader of Hamas who has repeatedly caused suicide bombings.
Yassin's assistant motioned for us to sit next to the "Sheikh". I was surprised that I could get so close to this "high-risk" person without any prior examination. Didn't the assistants consider his personal safety? Yassin spoke up, and I realized that if the distance exceeded 1 meter, he could not hear what he was saying. Years of imprisonment had damaged his voice. Yassin's voice sounded like a blade scraping on glass, sharp but difficult to hear. His hearing was also severely damaged, and he could not hear the questions without raising his voice.
"Why are you still staying at home? Don't you know that Israel has declared you as a target of attack?" We began the interview like this. Yassin's mouth twitched, almost as if he were smiling. "Why did you come? Aren't you afraid of being attacked?" He asked. The threat of assassination has never daunted us. We are happy to become 'martyrs', which is a good thing, Yassin said.
“Will you accept the ceasefire agreement?” I asked again. Yassin said that Hamas could reach a ceasefire agreement with the Palestinian National Authority on condition, which not only included requiring Israel to stop assassinating Hamas members, but also including restoring the legitimate rights of Palestinians, ending Israel's occupation of Palestinian land, releasing Palestinian prisoners, stopping military attacks on Palestinians, recognizing the “right of return” of Palestinian refugees, and recognizing the sovereignty of Palestinians over Jerusalem. “Israel cannot get a ceasefire agreement without paying a price,” he said.
On the 10th, Hamas spokesman Rantisi was injured by an Israeli missile attack. Hamas subsequently announced the suspension of ceasefire negotiations with the Palestinian National Authority. I asked Yassin, "How much damage has Israel's 'targeted killing' policy caused to Hamas?" "It has not damaged us at all. When one 'Hamas' is killed, there will be thousands of 'Hamas' standing up," Yassin's voice slightly raised. "Hamas represents the Palestinian and Arab public opinion. Neither the United States nor the Palestinian National Authority can ignore our existence. We not only want to protect ourselves, but also the Palestinian people..."
"Protecting the Palestinians? Don't you know that suicide bombings will lead to more violent military retaliation from Israel, which will inevitably lead to the casualties of innocent Palestinians?" "We Palestinians can only use limited means to defend ourselves. We don't have F-16 bombers or Apache armed helicopters... We shouldn't be asked to stop defending ourselves, but to demand Israel to stop aggression. Whether we commit suicide bombings or not, we will be killed by Israel." "Do you mean that 'Hamas' completely represents the Palestinian people?" "At present, we are in the stage of striving for liberation, not competing with the Palestinian National Authority for leadership," Yassin said. "After the establishment of the Palestinian state, the people will decide who will lead them through voting." The ultimate goal of 'Hamas' is to establish an Islamic state.
It is said that Yassin was beaten during his early interrogation by Israel, resulting in amblyopia in his right eye. However, his blue-grey eyes are only slightly cloudy, and there is no sign of eye disease. Sometimes he looks up and his lips are slightly open, with a very dull look in his eyes; sometimes his eyes are extremely flexible, emitting a cold light, and these two expressions alternate on his face.
“How much damage has suicide bombing caused to Israel?” “The key is not how many Israelis have been killed, but rather creating 'equal' panic among Israelis. Suicide bombing has hit the Israeli economy and made Israelis realize that Sharon has not brought them security, which is the only way to finally enable Palestinians to obtain their due rights.”
"When you see the scenes of Israeli women and children killed in suicide attacks on TV, how do you feel?" Yassin paused, looked ahead and sighed. "We feel pain when we see any women and children bleeding," he said. "Islam does not allow killing innocent people. But why is the world silent about the killing of our women and children by Jews? If the world helps restore the rights of Palestinians, we can stop all suicide attacks." He added that as long as Israel persists in its aggressive policy, it is not excluded that more suicide attacks will occur in the future.
Yassin said that Hamas is not willing to confront the Palestinian National Authority, but it will never hand over weapons as required by Israel. "Prime Minister Abbas has made efforts, but his efforts have been rejected. For the Palestinians to hand over weapons for self-defense means surrender."
Yassin expressed his views on the "road map" plan and the mediation efforts made by Egyptian officials to achieve a ceasefire. Finally, I asked him, "Is President Bush's call to cut off Hamas' economic sources worrying you?" Yassin pursed his lips and sneered, "Let's wait and see what happens when he cuts it off."
