Islamic Jihad: We’ll Keep Fighting Even Without Hamas

Hamas may be interested in pursuing a period of quiet with Israel, but Islamic Jihad is not, said the organization’s top terrorist, Ziad al-Nachaleh. In a video message distributed to supporters, al-Nachaleh said that his group would continue terror attacks against Israel “until the siege against Gaza by the occupation ends.”

A report Thursday night said that Hamas had canceled a riot that had been planned at the Gaza border, as representatives of the terror group were in Cairo discussing a possible truce with Israel. Earlier Thursday, two rockets were fired by Gaza terrorists at southern Israel. No injuries or damage were reported, but unusually Israel did not respond by hitting Hamas positions in Gaza – an indication, Channel 12 said, that a deal of some sort was in the works.

That would not apply to Islamic Jihad, al-Nachaleh said. If there is a war, “the Israeli enemy will pay the price. We will not pay it alone. We will not allow the Palestinian people to remain under siege. We are ready to die in this struggle, that would be 1,000 times more preferable to seeing our children die of starvation. As we feel pain so with the enemy, especially those living in settlements on the Gaza border. Israel sees itself as a regional power, but we will harm that image and turn Israel into a worthless country.”

Hamas said Thursday that it would conduct its “march of return” protests along the border fence on Friday, but that they would be non-violent. The theme of the march would be emphasizing the Arab connection to the Golan, said Hamas spokesperson Hazam Kassam. “The march will affirm the connection between the Palestinians and the Arab world, and the single fate of our glorious Arab nation. We must join forces to redeem our Arab land and unite against the Zionist enemy, and end the internal fighting that only serves the occupation.”