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Roundup: Hamas downplays tunnel discovery by Israel

Xinhua, April 19, 2016 Adjust font size:

Hamas said Monday that the tunnel discovered by Israel, which goes from Gaza into Israel, "is a drop in the sea of what Hamas prepares."

Israel announced earlier that it has discovered a tunnel that goes from southern Gaza Strip into Israel, aiming at kidnapping Israelis and carrying out attacks.

But Abu Obeida, spokesman of Hamas armed wing al-Qassam Brigades, told a short news briefing that the tunnel was not new and had been used during the 2014 Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip, which killed 2,200 Palestinians and 70 Israelis, in addition to huge damage to property.

Hamas has been digging tunnels underneath the borders between the Gaza Strip and Israel over the past six years. The tunnels enable movements and storage of weapons, and were used to carry out attacks against Israel.

Over the past few months, more than 20 Palestinian militants and members of Hamas died in tunnels that collapsed in the Gaza Strip. Hamas leaders said digging tunnels was a preparation for any upcoming Israeli wars on Gaza.

Hamas leaders said they are not interested in any war with Israel, "but if Israel wages a war on Gaza, Hamas and the armed resistance will have the right to defend themselves and to defend the people in Gaza."

Also on Monday, the Islamic Hamas movement and Islamic Jihad celebrated a bus bombing attack in Jerusalem, which left 18 Israelis wounded.

"The bombing attack is a natural reaction to the Israeli crimes, mainly the field execution and storming of the Muslims' holy shrine of Al-Aqsa Mosque," said Sami Abu Zuhri, Hamas spokesman in Gaza in an emailed press statement.

Meanwhile, the Islamic Jihad movement in Palestine said that the attack "is a clear message to the Israelis that the Palestinian uprising, the Intifada, is going on."

Eighteen Israelis were injured, two seriously, in the attack after a bomb detonated into an Israeli bus in southwest Jerusalem, according to Israeli Radio. Endi