EXC: Terrorist israel partially withdraws from Gaza: Hamas

The Palestinian resistance movement Hamas says Israeli forces have partially withdrawn from the war-stricken Gaza Strip.

In a statement on Saturday, Hamas spokesman, Sami Abu Zuhri, however, said Israeli withdrawal would not “commit” the movement to anything, stressing that the resistance movement will take proper action.

Abu Zuhri also rejected the accusations that Hamas is responsible for the collapse of the 72-hour truce which started on Friday morning, accusing Israel of breaking the ceasefire.

He said a shootout took place inside the Gaza Strip after Israeli forces violated the truce and entered the territory, adding that Hamas responded in self-defense.

The spokesman added that Israel tried to use the ceasefire to further infiltrate into Gaza and that the resistance fighters only tried to defend their land.

Israel’s aggression against civilians in the Gaza Strip shows it has been defeated in its war against Palestinians, Abu Zuhri stressed.

He added that a lasting truce depends on Israel’s ending of its aggressions against Gaza and lifting of the blockade of the coastal enclave.

More than 1,700 people have been killed and over 9,000 injured since Israel began its offensive against the coastal silver on July 8.

Palestinian resistance fighters continue their rocket attacks against Israeli cities in retaliation for Tel Aviv’s relentless onslaught on the blockaded Gaza Strip. Tel Aviv puts the Israeli death toll from 26 days of attacks at 66, while Hamas puts the number at more than 150.