Hamas condemns Israeli escalation, vows to reactivate armed resistance

Participants hold a banner which read "Bring the war criminals to justice", during a candlelight protest organised by Amnesty International Japan, marking the first anniversary of the Israel's attacks in the Gaza Strip, at Tsukiji Honganji temple in Tokyo on Saturday. Photo: AP.

The Palestinian Islamic Hamas movement on Saturday condemned Israeli troops’ killing of six Hamas condemns Israeli escalation,in the West Bank and Gaza, and called for reactivating the armed attacks against Israel.

Sami Abu Zuhri, Hamas spokesman in Gaza, said in a press statement sent to reporters that “the crime of killing six Palestinians is purely a war crime,” adding “this crime urges all Palestinian factions to reactivate armed resistance against the occupation and its crimes in the West Bank and Gaza.” He slammed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, and his security forces for keeping the crackdown on militants in the West Bank, adding “Abbas militias are carrying out daily arrests against activists and militants, while the Zionist occupation forces carry out daily incursions into the West Bank cities.” On Saturday predawn, an Israeli warplane fired one missile at four Palestinians who were trying to infiltrate into Israel through the security fence between northern Gaza Strip and Israel. Three were killed and one survived, according to an Israeli army spokesman and Palestinian witnesses.

In a separate incident earlier on Saturday, the Israeli troops invaded the northern West Bank city of Nablus and killed three activists affiliated to Fatah’s armed wing al—Aqsa Martyrs Brigades.

The current Israeli military escalation against the Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza coincides with the one year anniversary for the 22—day Israeli military offensive on the Gaza Strip, which ended on January 18, leaving some 1,400 Palestinians killed.

Meanwhile, al—Aqsa Martyrs Brigades vowed in a leaflet sent to reporters “a tough revenge” to the killing of three of the group’s members, adding “by committing this crime, the Israeli occupation opened the doors of hell and our suicide bombers are ready to respond soon.” The violence comes amid stillness in peace talks between Israel and the Palestinian National Authority (PNA). The talks stopped when Israel waged Gaza offensive and efforts to resume them have failed due to the continuation of Israeli settlements building in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.