Islamist terrorist group Hamas has celebrated the 30th year since its creation with a huge rally at which its leader saluted ‘the beginning of rage’ against Israel.
Tens of thousands of supporters – including young children decked out in military uniforms and carrying toy assault rifles – attended the demonstration in Gaza.
The group’s leader, Ismail Haniyeh, said in an aggressive speech that the US and Israel have found themselves isolated following President Donald Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.
‘We demand the Islamic world make every Friday a day of anger and revolution in every capital and city until we bring down Trump’s decision,’ Haniya said.
Tens of thousands of supporters – including young children decked out in military uniforms and carrying toy assault rifles – attended the demonstration in Gaza. The group’s leader, Ismail Haniyeh, said in an aggressive speech that the US and Israel have found themselves isolated following President Donald Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital
‘We demand the Islamic world make every Friday a day of anger and revolution in every capital and city until we bring down Trump’s decision,’ Haniya said. Pictured: Members of Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Palestinian Hamas, attend an event held to mark the 30th anniversary of the terrorist group
Haniya also said: ‘We ask churches, the Pope and our Christian brothers to devote their Sunday prayers to Jerusalem.’ He added: ‘We will bring down Trump’s decision once and for all’
Hamas has called for a new Palestinian uprising against Israel in response to Trump’s recognition of a new Israeli capital city. Pictured: A young boy with a toy assault rifle and military clothing attends the rally in Gaza today
‘We salute the beginning of rage, intifada and revolution,’ Haniyeh (pictured centre left) told the large crowd that filled a sprawling lot known as al-Katiba Square in the blockaded enclave bordering Israel and Egypt
‘We ask churches, the Pope and our Christian brothers to devote their Sunday prayers to Jerusalem,’ he added.
He also said: ‘We will bring down Trump’s decision once and for all.’
Hamas has called for a new Palestinian uprising against Israel in response to Trump’s recognition of a new Israeli capital city.
‘We salute the beginning of rage, intifada and revolution,’ Haniyeh told the large crowd that filled a sprawling lot known as al-Katiba Square in the blockaded enclave bordering Israel and Egypt.
Hamas wants to establish an Islamic state between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean, which includes Israel.
Masked militants marched behind the group’s political officials on a raised stage.
A giant poster showing Jerusalem’s Dome of the Rock mosque and a Hamas fighter with a Palestinian flag and a rifle formed the backdrop.
‘Jerusalem is the capital of Palestine’, read the caption in Arabic and English.
The coastal territory suffers from 43 per cent unemployment and worsening blackouts. In recent days, rolling blackouts lasted for 24 hours, followed by four hours of electricity. Pictured: A man in camouflage gear stands in front of the gigantic rally today
Protests in other parts of the Palestinian territories, as well as across the Arab world, have broken out since Trump’s announcement. Pictured: Hamas troops march during the rally
Hamas’ rival, West Bank-based Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’s Fatah, seeks to establish a Palestinian state in lands Israel captured in 1967, with East Jerusalem as a capital. Pictured: A young boy in uniform carries a Hamas flag
Hamas is considered a terrorist organisation by Israel, the United States and others. Pictured: Some of the thousands of demonstrators in Gaza today. The woman on the right has a replica of the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem
The anniversary came at a difficult time in Hamas’ turbulent history.
A decade after seizing Gaza by force, it has been compelled to seek reconciliation with Abbas’ Fatah.
An Egyptian-brokered reconciliation deal between Hamas and Fatah in October has seen Hamas give up control of Gaza crossings, but differences over collecting revenues hinder its progress.
Hamas blames an Israeli-Egyptian border blockade, lack of support from Arab and Muslim nations, and Abbas’ alleged attempts to undermine the group for the hardships in Gaza.
The coastal territory suffers from 43 per cent unemployment and worsening blackouts. In recent days, rolling blackouts lasted for 24 hours, followed by four hours of electricity.
Earlier today, Israel carried out a series of air strikes against Hamas in Gaza, hours after more rockets were fired from the Palestinian enclave
The group regularly taps into racist libels of the Jewish people, even mentioning The Protocols of the Elders of Zion – an early 20th century anti-Semitic fabrication claiming that Jews control the world – in its constitution.
Hamas’ rival, West Bank-based Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’s Fatah, seeks to establish a Palestinian state in lands Israel captured in 1967, with East Jerusalem as a capital.
But today’s rally was attended by major Hamas figures as well as politicians from other political parties, including Fatah.
Hamas is considered a terrorist organisation by Israel, the United States and others.
Since Trump’s controversial announcement last week, at least 12 rockets or mortars have been fired from Gaza towards Israel.
In response the Jewish state’s army has hit at least 10 targets in Gaza, mostly Hamas bases.
Protests in other parts of the Palestinian territories, as well as across the Arab world, have broken out since Trump’s announcement.
Israel claims all of Jerusalem as its capital, including the Israeli-annexed east, which is home to key Muslim, Jewish and Christian shrines.
Trump’s decision last week has triggered Palestinian protests in the West Bank and Gaza, including some that escalated into deadly clashes with Israeli troops, but it remains unclear whether widespread Palestinian anger at the US will lead to a full-fledged uprising.
Earlier today, Israel carried out a series of air strikes against Hamas in Gaza, hours after more rockets were fired from the Palestinian enclave.
The Israeli army also announced it would close the border crossings between blockaded Gaza and Israel – Kerem Shalom for goods and Erez for people – from today ‘due to the security events and in accordance with security assessments.’
A military spokeswoman could not say whether the closure would be for one day or more.
In a statement, the Israeli army said it had targeted three Hamas military facilities in different parts of the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip. Pictured: Three Hamas troops stand in front of a sign reading ‘Al Quds’, a name for Jerusalem
A Palestinian security source said there were more than 10 strikes on the targets, which included a Hamas naval facility and a military base near the Shati refugee camp in northern Gaza. Pictured: An angry woman points to the sky during the demonstration in Gaza today
There have been 12 projectiles fired at Israel from Gaza since December 6, with Israeli retaliatory strikes targeting 10 sites in the Palestinian enclave. Pictured second from right: Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh
While an increase in rocket fire preceded the 2014 Gaza war, Israeli Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman played down the significance of the recent launches from Hamas. Pictured: Burqa-wearing Hamas supporters clap at the rally
Since unrest erupted last week over Trump’s declaration, four Gazans have been killed, two in clashes along the border and two Hamas militants in an Israeli air strike in retaliation for rocket fire
In a statement, the Israeli army said it had targeted three Hamas military facilities in different parts of the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip.
‘The military facilities were used as training and weapons storage compounds,’ the army said.
‘This was in response to the projectiles fired at Israeli territory from the Gaza Strip.’
A Palestinian security source said there were more than 10 strikes on the targets, which included a Hamas naval facility and a military base near the Shati refugee camp in northern Gaza.
The source said there had been significant damage to the targets, as well as lesser damage to nearby houses, where some residents suffered minor injuries.
The strikes came hours after Israel’s air defence system intercepted two rockets fired from Gaza.
Such rockets are generally fired by fringe Islamist groups but Israel holds Gaza’s Hamas rulers responsible for any fire from the territory.
‘I hope the residents of Gaza will force their leadership to invest their efforts and money in improving the strip’s economy rather than digging tunnels, producing rockets and firing them at Israel,’ Israeli Defence Minister Lieberman said. Pictured: A young boy in spectacles holds a Hamas sign
The recent rocket fire has not caused any casualties in Israel. Pictured: Some of the tens of thousands of demonstrators in Gaza today
A giant poster showing Jerusalem’s Dome of the Rock mosque and a Hamas fighter with a Palestinian flag and a rifle formed the backdrop
A Hamas supporter holds a miniature replica of the Dome of the Rock as she takes part in a rally marking the 30th anniversary of the founding of the Islamist movement
There have been 12 projectiles fired at Israel from Gaza since December 6, with Israeli retaliatory strikes targeting 10 sites in the Palestinian enclave.
The recent rocket fire has not caused any casualties in Israel.
While an increase in rocket fire preceded the 2014 Gaza war, Israeli Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman played down the significance of the recent launches on Thursday.
During a tour of Sderot, an Israeli town lying a short distance from northern Gaza and where rockets have often struck, he called it ‘a result of internal Palestinian struggles between different organisations.’
One of the recent rockets hit a kindergarten in Sderot, but it struck at night and no one was hurt.
‘I hope the residents of Gaza will force their leadership to invest their efforts and money in improving the strip’s economy rather than digging tunnels, producing rockets and firing them at Israel,’ Lieberman said.
Since unrest erupted last week over Trump’s declaration, four Gazans have been killed, two in clashes along the border and two Hamas militants in an Israeli air strike in retaliation for rocket fire.
One Israeli has been seriously wounded in a stabbing attack in Jerusalem.