Hamas chief warns Israel not to wage offensive on Gaza

IANS  |  Gaza 

of Islamic movement in the Strip, on Friday warned not to wage any future military offensive on the enclave that his movement has been ruling since 2007, media reported.

Sinwar's warning was made during a popular eulogy for seven militants who were killed on November 11 in a gun battle with a special undercover force in east of the southern Strip town of Khan Younis.

The eulogy ceremony was held near the house of Noor Baraka, the top militant, who was among the seven killed in the gun battle, reports

The ceremony was attended by the Egyptian security intelligence delegation.

"I advise the occupation (Israel) not to repeat the experience of sending a special military undercover force because next time we will clean the Israeli prisons," said Sinwar, referring to kidnapping soldiers and exchanging them for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.

In response to the killing of seven Hamas militants, Hamas armed wing and other Gaza-based militant groups fired barrages of rockets into

Israeli war planes fired back and destroyed around 80 buildings and constructions that belong to Hamas, including its television station and other security headquarters.

"It is the first time in the history of the Palestinian armed struggle that 13 Palestinian armed wings in the Strip worked together in one joint operation room," said Sinwar, referring to 400 rockets fired in two days into

Sinwar went on saying that the Israeli blockade that had been imposed on the since 2007 has to be ended, adding that "it will end by the peaceful marches of return, and if not, we have other means and methods to break it."

Sinwar said that he has sent a message to Israeli and "his new defense minister" that "Gaza only prepares death for you and the rockets of resistance have become more in terms of numbers, accurate and destructive."

Meanwhile, Sinwar called on Mahmoud Abbas, his movement's rival, and all other Palestinian factions to sit together at one table, end internal division and agree on unity and partnership.

Earlier on Friday, 23 Palestinians were shot and wounded by Israeli soldiers' gunfire during the weekly protests, known as "the Marches of Return and Breaking the Israeli Siege," in eastern Gaza Strip close to the border with Israel.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

First Published: Sat, November 17 2018. 05:26 IST