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Gaza Islamic Jihad calls for alert in anticipation of upcoming conflict with Israel

Xinhua, October 22, 2016 Adjust font size:

The Islamic Jihad (Holy War) movement on Friday called on the Gaza-based military groups for preparedness and alert in anticipation of any upcoming military confrontation with Israel.

Ramadan Shallah, the group's top leader currently in Syria, made the call on telephone during a rally held in Gaza City to mark 29 years for establishing his group.

"Choices of conflict with the Jewish state are open," said Shallah to the crowds of Islamic Jihad supporters who joined the rally while waving Palestinian flags and the black flags of the group.

Masked militants, wearing military uniforms and carrying various kinds of weapons, bombs and rockets rallied in the streets of Gaza, on foot or carried by jeeps and armored vehicles.

"We are in need for a comprehensive dialogue that puts a new agreed-upon strategy to rearrange the internal Palestinian situation, end internal division and approve armed resistance as a strategic choice for everyone," said Shallah.

"The so-called peace process and peace talks didn't bring the Palestinian people anything, just humiliation and more occupation measures," he warned. "The choice of resistance and armed struggle must be the Palestinians' sole choice."

Shallah went on saying that "when the Palestinians have the armed resistance and struggle their own only choice, they will be able to liberate their occupied lands and gain their legitimate rights back."

He called on both Islamic Hamas movement and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas Fatah Party "to leave power on ruling Gaza and the West Bank, and only be armed with the duty of liberating the occupied lands."

Meanwhile, Mahmoud al-Zahar, the top Gaza-based Hamas leader, who addressed a speech during the rally, said that the choice of armed resistance "is so important for the Palestinians in order to gain their rights back."

"We extend our hands to anyone who want to join us in our armed resistance to liberate our occupied lands and gain back our rights," said al-Zahar, adding the military groups in Gaza are in need for developing and empowering their power.

He also said that his group and the Islamic Jihad disagree in ideologies, "but we both agree on one goal, which is sticking to the armed resistance in liberating our occupied lands."

He stressed that his group and all other Islamic groups "will never recognize the state of Israel, because Palestine for us are from the borders with Lebanon to the borders with Egypt and from the Dead Sea to the Mediterranean." Endit