Hamas forms new terror organization in Lebanon

The announcement called on young men in Lebanon to join the newly formed ‘resistance’ group to ‘free Jerusalem.’

By World Israel News Staff

Hamas has declared the formation of “Vanguards of the Al-Aqsa Flood,” a new wing of the terror group in Lebanon, and urged Palestinian-Lebanese citizens to join the organization, which aims to “free Jerusalem and the al-Aqsa mosque.”

Lebanon, already entangled in cross-border tensions with Hezbollah, has seen mixed reactions to this development. Some factions have condemned efforts drawing Lebanon into the Israel-Hamas conflict.

The IDF on Monday and Tuesday struck several targets after Hezbollah fired rockets into northern Israel.

According to Israel’s Channel 12 News, several countries – including the U.S., France and UAE — are engaged in closed-door discussions aimed at deescalating Hezbollah and curbing the terror group’s presence near the Israel-Lebanon border.

Hamas’ statement regarding the new group read: “O sons of our people, you young people and heroic men, join the vanguard of the resistance, and participate in shaping the future of your people, and in liberating Jerusalem and the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque.”

Following the announcement, Hamas’ representative in Lebanon Ahmed Abdulhadi, assured that respect for Lebanese sovereignty would be maintained.

“There is no need to worry about this framework,” Abdulhadi said according to Al Jazeera, “because it will not harm Lebanon and will not bring any negative impact on the Palestinian people, and it will be useful to serve the Palestinian people and discharge the energies of young people and their talents and sow love for Palestine in them.”

Prominent politician Gebran Bassil, who heads the the Christian Free Patriotic Movement which is aligned with Hezbollah, firmly rejected the move, highlighting the potential threat to Lebanese sovereignty. The IDF’s Arabic-language spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Avichay Adraee, criticized Bassil’s stance as insufficient and “too late.”