TEHRAN- Mohammad Baqeri, Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, has said that Al-Aqsa Storm Operation led by Palestinian resistance groups broke the Israeli regime’s illusion of invincibility and opened a new chapter for Palestine, the West Asia region, and the Muslim world.

Major General made the remarks on Wednesday during a ceremony in Tehran to honor the thousands of innocent Palestinians who lost their lives as martyrs, including women and children.

The ceremony took place on the 26th day of the large-scale operation led by Hamas against the occupied territories.

“The valiant, surprising and unparalleled defense of Palestinian combatants in Operation Al-Aqsa Storm will be the harbinger of a new chapter for Palestine, the region and the Islamic world,” Baqeri said.

Beginning on October 7, Hamas launched the largest offensive against Israel in its 75 years of history in response to the regime’s bloody violence against people in the West Bank.

The surprise operation, dubbed Al-Aqsa Storm, has put the competence of the Israeli army and its intelligence bodies under serious question.

In response, Israel launched an insane war on Gaza, so far killing at least 8,796 Palestinians — mostly women and children — and wounding over 23,000 more.

Israel has placed a complete siege on the enclave, depriving the more than two million Palestinian residents of their water, food, fuel, and power.

The United States has been supplying the Israeli regime with thousands of consignments of weaponry ever since the Israeli campaign of aggression against the beleaguered Gaza Strip was launched.

Additionally, Washington has been providing the Tel Aviv regime with a lot of political assistance by vetoing resolutions by the UN Security Council that either demand an immediate end to the regime’s aggression or hold it accountable for its crimes.

“Absurd and meaningless”

Major General Baqeri went on to say, “The operation showed that all the notions that the Zionists and their masters had concocted were absurd and meaningless, and all their false delusion of grandeur fell into pieces with this flawless and precise operation.”

The senior Iranian commander emphasized that the bombing of defenseless civilians, including women, children, and the elderly, is not and will not be a symbol of strength and victory for the Zionist regime, underscoring that the shameful failure of the Israeli regime cannot be compensated.

“The enemy, who is unable to face confrontation on the battlefield, kills innocent and defenseless people in hospitals, ambulances and houses with planes donated by criminals,” Baqeri stressed.

“This is the reality of the United States, Europe and global arrogance, which have displayed the apex of brutality before the eyes of the world,” he added.

“Most of the people in the world have shouted for a ceasefire, but the criminal U.S. says a truce, at the present time, suggests the defeat of Israel.”

The military chief repeated the proposal by Leader of the Islamic Revolution for holding a referendum with the participation of all Palestinians - Muslims and non-Muslims – to determine the fate of the people, saying this is the only way to end the decades-long conflict.

“There is no fate and end in sight for this battle except the victory of Palestinians, today, all the people across the world are crying out for an end to these crimes and demand relief aid to the people in Gaza,” Baqeri said.

He also highlighted, “Should the neighboring countries of Palestine allow people to pass, millions of freedom-seekers of the world will show up at the borders of this holy land to help Palestine.”

Affirming that the future of Palestine is quite clear, the top general said, “The future belongs to the Palestinian people and the aggressors and foreign immigrants must leave this land and they have no choice but to do so.”