Hamas warns Israel of ‘no calm’ if regime’s hostile measures continue

The Palestinian resistance movement, Hamas, has warned the Israeli regime that if it continues its hostile measures against the occupied Jerusalem al-Quds, it will see no calm.

“If the Zionist enemy continues this hostile policy against al-Quds, there will be no calm,” head of the political bureau of Hamas Ismail Haniyeh said in a virtual meeting on Sunday, according to Hamas’s official website.

On Thursday, more than 100 Palestinians were wounded and 50 more arrested in Israeli police and settler violence in Jerusalem al-Quds. Haniyeh’s remarks came as Israeli forces continued their aggressive actions against Palestinians on Sunday.

Haniyeh said the ongoing Palestinian response to the Israeli aggression in Jerusalem al-Quds comes “in the context of the battle over the identity of the holy city.”

The Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank should stand steadfast in the face of the Israeli occupation forces, he said, adding the current situation in Jerusalem al-Quds proved that Israel has failed to achieve any of its plans regarding the historic city.

On the upcoming Palestinian elections, Haniyeh said Hamas will never pass on the opportunity, stressing the necessity of holding the elections in Jerusalem al-Quds, the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.

“The Palestinian election in al-Quds has started very early,” he said, referring to the Palestinians who took to the streets to defend the city against the Israeli aggression.

Hamas leader: Palestinians to foil all Israeli plots

Khaled Meshaal, a former head of the political bureau of Hamas, said the Palestinian people in Jerusalem al-Quds will foil all Israeli plots in the city, as they have done on many occasions in the past few years.

In an interview with al-Aqsa TV channel on Sunday, Meshaal said Palestinians are going through a fierce battle against the Israeli occupation forces.

“It is a big battle aimed at Judaizing and controlling al-Quds and a plan to divide al-Aqsa Mosque spatially and timely,” he said, hailing the Palestinian defenders of the holy mosque for standing steadfast in the face of the Israeli occupation forces.

Meshaal reiterated Hamas’s support for the Palestinian elections, saying the polls are part of national endeavors to achieve unity.

He also dismissed the possibility of postponing the elections, saying Palestinian factions will remove all obstacles so that the vote will be held on its due date.

The remarks came as Palestinian sources reported that clashes between Israeli forces and Palestinians had continued near al-Aqsa Mosque on Sunday night and into Monday morning, after reports emerged that Israeli forces had briefly removed the barriers outside the Damascus Gate.

According to al-Quds al-Arabi, at least three Palestinians were arrested and a few others were injured in the course of the Israeli attacks.

Israeli army on high alert

Israel’s minister of military affairs Benny Gantz on Sunday ordered all branches of the Israeli security establishment to maintain readiness for further escalation in Gaza.

The Israeli military has been bombarding the besieged Gaza Strip in recent days, claiming the attacks are conducted as a response to rocket attacks by Palestinians in the enclave.

According to Israeli news site Walla, Gantz told the regime's army chief of staff Aviv Kochavi and his subordinates, as well as the head of the Shin Bet and other security officials, that Israel must make preparations to face further escalation.

Gantz threatened on Saturday that if calm in the south does not continue, “Gaza will be severely damaged … and the leaders of Hamas will bear the responsibility.”

In a Sunday statement, Hamas called on all Palestinians to remain united and continue their resistance against the Tel Aviv regime.

Hamas urged all resistance groups in the besieged Gaza Strip to “keep their fingers on triggers and prepare their missiles” to target the enemy’s strongholds as well as its military installations.

Meanwhile, Israeli army spokesman Avichay Adraee tweeted early Monday that the regime had imposed fishing restrictions on Palestinians in Gaza in response to what he described as the “continued firing of rockets from the Gaza Strip toward Israel.”

Hours later, Adraee wrote in another tweet that the regime had completely closed down the legal fishing area for Palestinians in response to the rockets.

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.co.uk