Thousands of Hamas security men staged a military parade in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday in a massive show of force marking the anniversary of an eight-day battle against Israel last year.
Despite suffering heavy losses, the Islamic group has claimed victory and vowed on Wednesday to continue its violent struggle against Israel.
Hamas’ Interior Minister Fathi Hamad, who commands the security forces in the coastal Palestinian strip, called on Arabs in the Gaza Strip, West Bank and Israel to unite in a holy war to ‘uproot the Jews’ from Israel.
‘A third intifada is approaching,’ he said, while also using the term for past Palestinian uprisings against Israel. ‘Liberation is coming and victory is coming.’
The hostilities began when Israel assassinated Hamas’ military commander, Ahmad Jabari, on 14 November 2012, in response to an increase in rocket attacks out of Gaza.
Over the next week, Israel carried out hundreds of airstrikes on militant targets, while Hamas and other armed groups fired hundreds of rockets into Israel.
In all, 161 Palestinians, including dozens of civilians, were killed, while five Israelis died.
It was the fiercest fighting between the bitter enemies since an even more intense three-week Israeli offensive in early 2009.
Some 1,400 Palestinians, including hundreds of civilians, and 13 Israelis were killed in that conflict.
The sirens of police cars sounded throughout the city during Wednesday’s parade.
Military vehicles carried huge posters of Hamas leaders killed by Israel.
Despite suffering heavy losses, the Islamic group has claimed victory and vowed on Wednesday to continue its violent struggle against Israel.
Hamas’ Interior Minister Fathi Hamad, who commands the security forces in the coastal Palestinian strip, called on Arabs in the Gaza Strip, West Bank and Israel to unite in a holy war to ‘uproot the Jews’ from Israel.
‘A third intifada is approaching,’ he said, while also using the term for past Palestinian uprisings against Israel. ‘Liberation is coming and victory is coming.’
The hostilities began when Israel assassinated Hamas’ military commander, Ahmad Jabari, on 14 November 2012, in response to an increase in rocket attacks out of Gaza.
Over the next week, Israel carried out hundreds of airstrikes on militant targets, while Hamas and other armed groups fired hundreds of rockets into Israel.
In all, 161 Palestinians, including dozens of civilians, were killed, while five Israelis died.
It was the fiercest fighting between the bitter enemies since an even more intense three-week Israeli offensive in early 2009.
Some 1,400 Palestinians, including hundreds of civilians, and 13 Israelis were killed in that conflict.
The sirens of police cars sounded throughout the city during Wednesday’s parade.
Military vehicles carried huge posters of Hamas leaders killed by Israel.