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‘Hamas will respond to any Israeli aggression in Gaza’

July 16, 2018 at 9:27 am

Smoke rises above buildings during an Israeli air strike on Gaza City on 14 July 2018 [Ashraf Amra/Apaimages]

In the wake of the latest Israeli escalation against the people of the Gaza Strip, the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, said on Sunday that it would respond to any Israeli attack on the besieged territory, Quds Press has reported. The movement blamed Israel for the consequences of any aggression that Israeli security forces carry out against the Palestinians in Gaza.

“The targeting of children and killing the two boys Amir al-Namara, 15, and Lauy Koheel, 16, revealed the size and brutality of the crimes of the Israeli occupation authorities,” said Hamas. “They have turned their battle against the children after they could not rein-in the Palestinian resistance.”

The movement insisted that it has “a national responsibility” to defend the Palestinians and protect their interests. It stressed that it would remain as the “protective shield” of the people.

Hamas called for the Israelis to re-evaluate their “calculations very well” before trying to change the “rules of engagement” with the Palestinian resistance. Indeed, during the funeral of the two boys, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh pledged not to allow the Israeli occupation to impose new rules of engagement.

Haniyeh’s remarks came after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Saturday the biggest offensive against Gaza since 2014. Netanyahu accused Hamas of being behind the Great March of Return protests since 30 March, even though it is well known that they are a grassroots initiative. The Israelis have called the protests “riots” in an effort to justify the killing of unarmed protesters by snipers.

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