Doha , Qatar ( CNN ) -- CNN 's Nic Robertson had tough questions for Hamas 's political leader . Khaleed Meshaal is known as Hamas ' external deal-maker and a fund-raiser from supporters in the region , a role the 58-year-old has held since 2004 . Robertson interviewed Meshaal over the weekend in Qatar , where he lives . Here are some highlights from the interview . Firing rockets from neighborhoods . Robertson asked Meshaal why Hamas is firing rockets from civilian neighborhoods . Meshaal answered with numbers . `` How many Israeli civilians have our rockets killed ? Israel knows the number . Meanwhile , how many Palestinians has Israel killed ? Up until now have been killed 1700 people , while we have killed 63 soldiers . We kill soldiers , while they kill civilians . '' ( The Palestinian death toll as of Monday was at least 1,856 , according to the Palestinian Health Ministry . Sixty-four Israeli soldiers and three civilians in Israel had been killed , according to Israeli officials . ) Robertson then asked Meshaal to respond to critics who say Hamas is using civilian deaths to gain international sympathy . Meshaal called that a lie and said Hamas is not seeking international sympathy through its own victims . `` It is unfortunate that the American administration and President Obama have adopted the Israeli narrative , which is a lie . Hamas sacrifices itself for its people and does not use its people as human shields to protect its soldiers . The fighter , just like the soldier in the army , his job is to protect the people , and not to sacrifice the people for himself . '' Hamas ' cause . Meshaal said Israel has a powerful military but the Palestinians will triumph . `` We are stronger than they are in the justness of our cause . We are the rightful owners of the land , and they are the thieves of the land . We are the victims and they are the murderers . But despite this , we might not win a battle or two completely , but at the end we will win the war . Our steadfastness is a victory . For us to kill their soldiers while they kill our civilians is also a victory for the Palestinian cause and Hamas . '' Robertson pressed Meshaal on the point , asking how this can be a victory for Hamas and its cause when so many Palestinians are dying . `` Our people are convinced today that the only way to get rid of the occupation and establish their state is through resistance . '' Cease-fire . Robertson wanted to know whether Hamas would ever accept Israel 's right to exist and agree to a cease-fire . `` We 're ready for a cease-fire . We want the war to end today , and we did not attack anyone . It was ( Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin ) Netanyahu who transferred the crisis of what happened in the West Bank to Gaza . He 's the one responsible for this . We 're ready to stop this war . '' ( The killing of three Israeli teenagers in the West Bank triggered the current crisis . ) Egyptian talks . Hamas has agreed to cease-fires through Egyptian mediators `` many times '' since 2003 , Meshaal said . `` The Israelis , the Egyptians and the American administration know ( this ) , otherwise John Kerry would not have intervened this time nor ( former Secretary of State ) Mrs. Hillary Clinton in 2012 . They know that Hamas is very credible in that if its leadership promised something , it will fulfill its promise , and the fighters on the ground will follow that . '' He said he is still willing to engage in talks with Egyptians acting as the go-betweens . `` Regardless what the others ' positions ( are ) , we stated that we are ready to go as a Palestinian delegation to Cairo in order to talk to the Egyptians so they can hold indirect talks between us and the Israelis , so we can reach an agreement that will address our Palestinian demands , headed by ending the siege of Gaza . Then cease-fire can take place . We announced this position before and we are still committed to it . '' Peace negotiations . Hamas is not to blame for the lack of a solution , he said . `` We the Palestinian people have , since 1948 , have listened to the international community and U.N. and international regulations , in the hope they end the aggression against us . But the international community failed in ending the Israeli occupation and failed in helping our people to have self-determination and have its own state . Even the latest ( peace ) negotiations , between ( Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud ) Abbas and Netanyahu with Kerry as the broker , were sabotaged by Netanyahu . '' Calls for cease-fires . Meshaal said he would support a temporary cease-fire for humanitarian purposes . But he would only support a long-term cease-fire if Israel changes its policy restricting the movement of goods and people into Gaza . `` There are two kinds of cease-fires : There is the humanitarian cease-fire , like 72-hour cease-fire that was meant to help and aid our people getting food , water , and help collecting the bodies . As far as the sustainable cease-fire , this is connected to an agreement accepted by the two parties that will guarantee our Palestinian demands headed by lifting the siege on Gaza . '' What is Hamas ' endgame in Gaza ? CNN 's Greg Botelho contributed to this report .
The leader of Hamas ' political wing faced tough questions from CNN 's Nic Robertson in Qatar . Khaled Meshaal insists Hamas does not use civilians as human shields . Hamas will continue resistance , Meshaal says . A true cease-fire must include the end to a blockade of Gaza , he says .