Spotlight: Hamas marks Gaza war by displaying war sites to children

Marking two years of the 50-day large-scale Israeli military offensive waged on Gaza in 2014, Hamas movement organized an exhibition in Gaza city, including a tour into underground tunnels for children's summer camps.

Al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas armed wing, organized the activity at al-Shuja'eya neighborhood in eastern Gaza City. The neighborhood suffered intensive Israeli airstrikes and shelling, where hundreds were killed and thousands of houses were destroyed.

Hundreds of al-Shuja'eya residents visited the exhibition to see the weapons and the rockets the armed wing of the movement used against the Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip, as well as parts of the damaged armored vehicles and tanks, and drones the group seized from the Israeli army.

A 200-meter training tunnel is included that the group has dug only for the exhibition. The tunnel shapes the real ones the group had used against the Israeli army during the 2014 offensive, where two Israeli soldiers are still considered missing.

Mohamed Helles, one of Hamas supporters from al-Shuja'eya who visited the exhibition, said "one of the amazing stuff is the rocket that managed to reach Tel Aviv and the rocket R160 that reached Haifa in northern Palestine."

Inside the tunnel and on its concrete walls, Hamas put the pictures of its dead militants during the Israeli offensive with dates and caption on how, when and where they were killed.

The exhibition also showed the Hamas-made drone "Ababeel" which was designed by al-Qassam Brigades militants and flew over the southern Israeli cities of Ashdod and Ashkelon during the Israeli offensive. A captured Israeli army drone was also shown in the exhibition.

Abdullah, a 38-year-old man from Gaza, visited the exhibition with his wife and three children, saying it is his first time ever getting into a tunnel similar to those used against Israel.

"I always thought it is scary to walk a long distance in a tunnel while the enemy is on the ground, but now I don't feel scared," he added.

Besides firing rockets from the Gaza Strip into Israel, Hamas used long underground tunnels to enter Israel, through which Hamas militants carried out dozens of attacks.

"I think Hamas decision to allow ordinary people to get into the tunnels aimed at removing the fear and also change the impression on the tunnels by those knew nothing about Hamas military activities," said Mahmoud.

Masked Hamas militants, holding rifles and wearing the Islamic movement's uniform, were welcoming the visitors and explaining the exhibition with each piece of the weapons used either by Hamas or Israel during the war.

Israeli media, deeply concerning Hamas activities in the Gaza Strip, reported the exhibition about showing visitors tunnels, rockets and weapons.

The media also slammed Hamas for training teenagers and schoolchildren from the Gaza Strip with military activities, saying Hamas is establishing schools of terrorism.

However, Hamas officials announced that the summer camps for Gaza children aim at "being prepared for any future Israeli assault on Gaza."

Hamas is training around 50,000 children and teenagers all over the Gaza Strip, who are divided into two groups, one with children under 13 only receiving sports, culture and religious education, the other with those over 13 also taking paramilitary activities.

"Hamas has to be always on alert and well-prepared because the enemy can never be trusted and it may carry out another war on the Gaza Strip anytime," said Abu Mohamed, one of the organizers of the exhibition and the summer camps.

Hamas movement, which doesn't recognize Israel and the Middle East peace process, had violently seized control of the Gaza Strip following weeks of internal fighting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in the summer of 2007. Since then, the movement has been unilaterally ruling the coastal enclave. Endit