The
Palestinian Islamic resistance movement, Hamas, has pledged to “crush
Israel in case it wages another war on the besieged Gaza Strip.
Israeli
media reports on Wednesday cited Hamas leader in Gaza Yahya Sinwar as
saying that while the movement was not looking to start a war, it was
well prepared to take on the Tel Aviv regime’s military forces at
any time. “We do not seek confrontation with the Israelis, but
if the confrontation happens, we will crush them,” Sinwar was
quoted as saying on Tuesday.
The
Hamas chief, who was appointed in February to succeed Ismail Haniyeh
to head the movement’s political office in Gaza, said any “stupid
steps” by Israel against the coastal enclave would be met with a
response greater than the one the movement gave to the 2014 Israeli
invasion.
July
marked the third anniversary of the 51-day Israeli war on Gaza that
left more than 2,200 people dead and over 11,000 others injured. Gaza
stood its ground and was able to repel the ruthless invasion.
"Israel
is not launching a new war against Gaza, which stresses Tel Aviv's
fear of the unknown that awaits it in Gaza," the Palestinian
leader asserted.
The
Gaza Strip has been under an Israeli siege since June 2007. The
blockade and recurrent airstrikes has caused a decline in living
standards as well as unprecedented unemployment and poverty.
Sinwar
said there was hope for better living standards following a series of
breakthroughs in negotiations with Egypt to reopen the Rafah crossing
to the southern neighbor. According to him, Cairo had committed
itself to let goods and passengers through the gate since the Muslim
holiday of Eid al-Adha.
He
also noted that "there is talk about improving the electricity
situation" in Gaza, which is hit by daily blackouts of about
17-18 hours.
Sinwar
was the most senior figure to be released with over 1,000 other
Palestinian prisoners in 2011 in exchange for Gilad Shalit, an
Israeli soldier kept in Gaza for more than five years.
Before
being appointed to his new post, Sinwar was a senior commander of the
Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas’ armed wing.
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