Senior Hamas leader, Dr. Mahmoud Al-Zahar declared on Sunday that Hamas operative have been instructed to halt all attacks against Israel from the Gaza Strip, Palestinian sources reported.
Al-Zahar told a press conference in Gaza city that the movement is committed to the agreement reached between the Palestinian factions and the Palestinian Authority to end all kinds of weapon’s public display including parades and celebrations.
In a leaflet published on Sunday, Hamas said, ‘As part of Hamas’ interest to protect the Palestinian people from the Zionist tyranny, and in accordance with the Palestinian factions’ agreement in Cairo in which they committed to calm until the end of 2005, we declare halt to all our operations against the Israeli occupation from the Gaza Strip, which were launched in response to Israel’s attacks and violations’
On the other hand, an Israeli military source said that Israel’s military operation called ‘First Rain’ will continue in the Gaza Strip despite the latest Hamas declaration.
While Hamas declared commitment to end the public display of weapons, it stressed that ‘it will not disarm until the occupation is over.’
The Ilamic Jihad, on the other hand, said it will not halt its attacks against Israeli targets declaring that it will continue to fire ‘Quds 2’ home-made shells.
Sheikh Mohammad Khalil, 32, a senior Islamic Jihad leader was assassinated on Sunday when an Israeli apache fired missiles at his car on the coastal road in Gaza Strip.
Meanwhile, Israeli military shelled earlier on Monday at dawn, a residential area adjacent to the industrial zone, in Beit Hanoun, in the northern part of the Gaza StripÂÂ
A medical source in Beit Hanoun reported that one woman suffered moderate-to-sever woundsÂÂ
Additionally, the army shelled two smithy workshops in Maan area, east of Khan Younis, causing to the property, however no injuries.
