Hamas urges resistance against Israeli strikes on Gaza

A senior Hamas official has called for resistance in the face of the new wave of Israeli aggression on Gaza Strip which has so far claimed the lives of least 15 people in the besieged Palestinian territory.

Speaking at a major Islamic conference in the Sudanese capital of Khartoum on Thursday, Chairman of Hamas Political Bureau Khaled Mashal told Gazans to stand strong, stressing that the Palestinians will eventually win the battle against Israel.

Mashal further censured the Israeli assassination of Ahmed al-Ja’abari, the popular and influential head of the Hamas military wing — the Ezzedeen al-Qassam Brigades — in a strike on Wednesday.

“You (Israeli regime) killed Ja’abari and after that you can kill Mashal and others, but we will eventually get to al-Quds (Jerusalem).”

“Israel and all the dark forces in the world will not eliminate the Palestinian people,” Mashal added.

On Thursday, three Palestinians were killed in the latest round of the Israeli airstrikes in the southern city of Khan Yunis while two others were killed in the northern region of the coastal enclave. Ten people were killed during the attacks on Wednesday and more than 100 others sustained injuries.

The Israeli military frequently carries out airstrikes and other attacks on the Gaza Strip, saying the actions are being conducted for defensive purposes. However, disproportionate force is always used, in violation of international law, and civilians are often killed or injured.

Gaza has been blockaded since 2007, a situation that has caused a decline in the standard of living, unprecedented levels of unemployment, and unrelenting poverty.

The apartheid regime of Israel denies about 1.7 million people in Gaza their basic rights, such as freedom of movement, jobs that pay proper wages, and adequate healthcare and education.