At a rally in the capital city of Syria, marking “the end of the Israeli attack on Gaza a year ago that killed 1,400 Palestinians,” Hamas leader Meshaal stated that Hamas does not want war. However, the group will continue its armed resistance against Israel with the aim to “liberate [the] occupied land.”
Despite recent pressures on Hamas to compromise with Israel, Meshaal indicated that Hamas will not release Gilad Shalit, an Israeli soldier, unless Israel also decides to free many of its Palestinian prisoners. Meshaal also recognized that Gaza City was still in ruins with its borders closed and a new, impenetrable steel wall being constructed by Egypt to reduce arms smuggling at its border with the Gaza Strip. Furthermore, he stated that reconciliation with the new Palestinian president would further Hamas’ cause. So far reconciliation has been unsuccessful.
Read more about the rally at Aljazeera.net.
Click to see a map of Israel and the Gaza Strip.
Read more about Hamas at the Council on Foreign Relations.
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