Hamas celebrated the mass carnage and terrorism it has conducted against Israeli citizens, vowing to carry on its war against the Jewish State until it was eliminated.
By: Aryeh Savir, World Israel News
Senior Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh. (Emad Nassar/Flash90)
Tens of thousands of Palestinians in Gaza participated in marches on Friday to celebrate the 28th anniversary of the founding of Hamas terror organization, which rules the Strip tyrannically, declaring their support for the movement and its anti-Israel ideology.
Deputy chairman of Hamas’ Political Bureau Ismail Haniyeh said that after 28 years, Hamas is “still a strong and growing movement that works day and night towards liberating Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa Mosque.”
“Hamas is proud of its contribution to the resistance project, mainly armed resistance, after the Palestinian Authority abandoned it and adopted fruitless negotiations and security coordination,” the terror group said in a statement. “In our 28th anniversary, we in Hamas vow to continue our resistance and steadfastness until almighty Allah grants us triumph.”
Hamas reiterated that it will never recognize the “Israeli occupation,” namely the State of Israel, and confirmed that “Palestine from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean is an Arab, Islamic country.”
It also stated that this year’s anniversary comes while Hamas holds in its hands the fate of an undisclosed number of Israeli soldiers it captured during Operation Protective Edge in the summer of 2014. This may be part of Hamas’ psychological warfare, which includes intimations that it holds IDF soldiers, beyond those that are already known to the public.
Hamas is believed to hold the remains of IDF soldiers Hadar Goldin and Shaul Oron, who were killed during the operation.
Women and children celebrate with the terrorists. (Emad Nassar/Flash90)
Likewise, a Bedouin citizen of Israel is believed to have been held in Gaza since April, and an Israeli of Ethiopian descent has reportedly been held in Gaza since September 2014.
Hamas published a special file on Monday to mark the anniversary of the movement’s formation, which included a recounting of its “successes:” the firing of 16,377 rockets at Israel, 86 suicide bombings which have murdered hundreds, 36 stabbing attacks, over 500 infiltration attacks, over 250 sniper attacks, over 80 attacks on Israeli armored targets and 26 abductions of live or dead Israelis since its inception in 1987.
Hamas prided itself that it has evolved from throwing stones to an organization that “has strategically improved and developed and grown militarily, socially, politically, and institutionally. Hamas is here to achieve an independent, free Palestine. Hamas is here to stay.”