Hamas: 50,000 Combatants Ready to Confront Israel’s Ground Incursion

Hamas warned on Saturday that 50,000 Palestinian combatants and 5,000 martyrdom-seeking forces are ready in the Gaza Strip to confront any ground offensive by the Zionist regime.

“Over 50,000 Palestinian combatants are ready to confront any ground assault on Gaza,” Representative of the Palestinian Resistance Movement Hamas in Beirut Ali Baraka told the Arabic Al-Sharq al-Jadid news agency.

He further added 5,000 martyrdom-seeking Palestinian forces are ready as well to stand against any ground operation by Israel against the coastal enclave.

Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu is the only one responsible for the new offensives on the Gaza Strip, he said, adding that Netanyahu is after targeting and undermining the Palestinian resistance in pursuit of his election campaign objectives.

Baraka warned that Netanyahu would pay a heavy price from now on, and added, “We will not be the only victim anymore.”

Over 41 people have been killed and more than 350 others injured in the new wave of Israeli attacks against the Gaza Strip.

Assaults on Gaza started on Wednesday when the Israeli military launched a series of new air and sea attacks against the Palestinians in the coastal territory.

The Israeli army also started drafting 16,000 reserve military forces for a possible ground offensive amid escalating deadly strikes on the besieged Gaza Strip.