50,000 Gaza children join Hamas-organized summer camps

Around 50,000 children and teenagers joined summer camps organized and sponsored by Islamic Hamas movement, which rules the Gaza Strip, a senior Hamas official announced on Sunday.

Ismail Radwan, a senior Hamas leader, told a news briefing held at Gaza City's fishermen dock that the summer camps in which his movement sponsors and organizes "aim at raising a new Palestinian generation that loves resistance."

"We are here to prepare a new generation that loves armed resistance and loves the liberation of Palestine and al-Aqsa Mosque," Radwan said, adding "this generation will be the generation of liberty and triumph."

Hamas summer camps are called "Camps of the Intifada of al-Quds (Jerusalem)," in reference to the wave of tension that broke out in the West Bank and east Jerusalem in early October last year.

Official figures showed that since early October until now, 214 Palestinians were killed in a series of stabbing and shooting attacks carried out by Palestinians against Israel. In the meantime, 40 Israelis were killed.

Amjad Muzayan, the summer camps organizer, said at the news briefing that 50,000 children and teenagers registered to join the summer camps allover the Gaza Strip, adding that the summer camps will last for three weeks.

"The participants will enjoy educational, sports, religious and entertainment programs," he said.

Israel has been always slamming Hamas summer camps, saying that Hamas educates the children on hatred and incite them on violence against Israel. Endit