Hamas leader threatens Israel after killing of commander

Khaled Mashaal has threatened to retaliate against Israel for the death of Fuqaha, despite the consequences. 

The head of Hamas’ Political Bureau Khaled Mashaal stated Hamas has “accepted the challenge” presented by Israel when it assassinated Mazen Fuqaha, a senior leader of the terrorist organization’s armed wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, and threatened to retaliate.

Fuqaha was mysteriously killed on Friday night at his home in southern Gaza City.

“If Israel is changing the rules of struggle, Hamas along with its armed wing, al-Qassam Brigades, will bear their responsibilities and continue along the way to avenge martyrs, release captives, and liberate occupied Palestine,” he threatened.

In a recorded speech broadcast at a ceremony held to mourn Fuqaha in Gaza on Monday evening, Mashaal said he “does not care about the imbalance of power” between Israel and Hamas, stating that “Hamas’ determination is stronger than that of the Israeli occupation.”

“The Zionist occupier took from us a great hero, and for this we will not sit quietly,” he said.

Mashaal claimed Fuqaha had planned to carry out an attack on Israel right before his death.

“Fuqaha told me five hours before he was murdered that he was about to carry out a large project [terrorist attack] in the West Bank [Judea and Samaria area],” he said.

“There is no victory without martyrs, and there is no liberation without resistance,” the terror leader concluded.

Israel has neither confirmed nor denied it killed Fuqaha.

By: Aryeh Savir, World Israel News