Hamas militants vow to end truce

The armed wing of the Palestinian militant group, Hamas, has said it will no longer respect a self-imposed truce.

In a statement on its website, the Izzedine al-Qassam Brigade said Israeli "massacres" had spurred the decision.

Seven people, including three children, died on Friday when Israeli shells hit a beach in the Gaza Strip, Palestinian officials say.

There was no immediate comment from Hamas's political wing, which runs the Palestinian Authority.

Hamas's armed wing posted a message on its website and distributed leaflets declaring the end of a ceasefire that had held since February 2005.

"The Israeli massacres represent a direct opening battle and that means the earthquake in the Zionist cities will resume and the herds of occupiers have no choice but to prepare the coffins or the departing luggage," the statement read.

The BBC's Simon Wilson, in Jerusalem, says there have been threats of a response to previous attacks, but the official nature of this response appears significant.

Death on the beach

The statement came hours after the seven reported deaths on a beach near the northern Gaza town of Beit Lahiya. At least 30 people were wounded.

The Israeli military said it had halted all shelling of Gaza and launched an inquiry into whether ground-based artillery could have been involved.

Four other people were also killed in separate Israeli air strike in northern Gaza on Friday, Palestinians said.

The incidents come a day after senior Palestinian official Jamal Abu Samhadana was killed in an Israeli air strike in Rafah, the southern Gaza.

We know it's not from the air force and not from the navy and we are checking if it was artillery [fire] - we also don't know for certain if it was

Samhadana - the founder of the Popular Resistance Committees (PRC) - was buried in Rafah on Friday, with thousands of mourners pledging to avenge his death.

Samhadana was one of Israel's most wanted men in Gaza, and his group has been blamed for a series of missile attacks on Israel.

Speaking before the Hamas statement, Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas condemned the Israeli strikes in Gaza.

"What the Israeli occupation forces are doing in the Gaza Strip constitutes a war of extermination and bloody massacres against our people," Mr Abbas said in a statement carried by the Palestinian official Wafa news agency.

The foreign ministers of Russia and the UK also condemned the strike.

Devastation

Palestinian officials say the seven people killed on the Gaza Strip beach included two women as well as the three children.

The first television pictures revealed a terrible scene, the BBC's Alan Johnston says.

Scene of the shelling in Gaza
TV pictures suggest a family was on a picnic when the disaster struck

At least four figures lay unconscious on the ground, possibly dead, our correspondent says.

A little further away, a man was lying on a sand dune, perhaps fatally injured, while a child stood looking on in utter horror, our correspondent says.

He says around the casualties were tables and chairs, and it looks very much as if this was a family enjoying their Friday afternoon off on the beach when disaster struck.

An Israeli army spokesman said Chief of Staff Dan Halutz had ordered an immediate stop to all artillery shelling of Gaza while an investigation was carried out into the beach shelling.

For many months, the Israelis have regularly shelled open areas such as fields and orchards in an effort to prevent Palestinian militants using them to fire their home-made missile into crudely made missiles into nearby Israeli territory.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/5065982.stm

The BBC is an awesomely fair source.





I wonder how many people are actually gonna believe that? Or don't remember that Hamas has been making attacks since they took political control of the Palestinian's?

August 28, 2005: A suicide bombing outside the Central Bus Station in Beersheba severly injured two security guards who stopped the bomber from entering the bus station.

March 13, 2005: Six Israelis were killed and five other civilians were wounded in a double suicide bombing at the Karni crossing between Israel and the Gaza Strip. The two suicide bombers used a very large explosive device to blast through a defensive wall that separates the Israeli and Palestinian sides at the crossing. Following the blast, the bombers crossed into the Israeli side, carrying explosives on their bodies, which they
detonated.

July 14, 2005 - Dana Gelkovitch, 22, of Kibbutz Bror Hayil, was killed by a Qassam rocket fired at Netiv Ha'asara in the northern Gaza Strip. Hamas, Islamic Jihad and Fatah all claimed responsibility for the attack.

June 24, 2005 - Avihai Levy, 17, of Beit Hagai was killed in a drive-by terrorist shooting at a hitchhiking stop about 200 meters from the entrance to Beit Hagai, south of Hebron. Aviad Mansour, 16, of Otniel, fatally wounded in the attack, died on June 26. Three others were wounded. The Islamic Jihad and Fatah al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades claimed responsibility for the attack.

Mar 30, 2006 - Rafi Halevy, 63, and his wife Helena, 58, of Kedumim, Re’ut Feldman, 20, of Herzliya, and Shaked Lasker, 16, of Kedumim were killed when a suicide bomber hitchhiker disguised as an ultra-Orthodox yeshiva student detonated his explosive device in a private vehicle near the entrance to Kedumim.

Hamas military wing calls off truce with Israel
Abbas declares mourning period after Israeli missile reportedly kills 7

MSNBC News Services
Updated: 2:32 p.m. ET June 9, 2006

RAMALLAH, West Bank - Hamas’ military wing said Friday it would no longer honor a truce with Israel following an Israeli artillery strike that killed seven civilians.

“The earthquake in the Zionist towns will start again,” said a leaflet distributed by the militants at a Hamas rally Friday night. “The resistance groups ... will choose the proper place and time for the tough, strong and unique response.”

Meanwhile, Palestinian President Abbas declared a three-day mourning period for people killed in Israeli artillery strike.

Abbas said embassies around the world would be closed and flags would fly at half staff.

However, Palestinian officials said Abbas planned to push forward with his effort to call a referendum on a plan calling for a two-state compromise with Israel. Abbas is expected to formally declare a July 31 date for the referendum on Saturday. The Hamas-led government objects to the referendum plan.

Israel and the Palestinians declared the truce in February 2005. Hamas, which has killed scores of Israelis in suicide bombings, has largely abided by the cease-fire.

“The Israeli massacres represent a direct opening battle and that means the earthquake in the Zionist cities will resume and the herds of occupiers have no choice but to prepare coffins or departing luggage,” Hamas's armed wing said in a statement.

Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri confirmed the militant group, which won a parliamentary election in January and now heads the Palestinian government, would renew its attacks.

"We have reiterated always our commitment to the choice of jihad and resistance," Abu Zuhri said. "I believe that amid the continued bloodshed of our people and the horrific images of massacres, there is no place for silence."

Thousands attend Gaza funeral
Earlier Friday, Israel shelled suspected rocket launching sites in Gaza, and Palestinian officials said the artillery hit a family beach picnic, killing seven people, including three children.

The violence fueled anger spawned by a fatal Israeli airstrike Thursday on a top militant commander in the Palestinians' Hamas-led government. Tens of thousands of people, including angry gunmen defiantly firing in the air, packed a southern Gaza soccer stadium for the man’s funeral.

In the West Bank, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas condemned what he called a “bloody massacre” in Gaza and called on the international community, including the United States, Europe and the U.N. Security Council, to intervene.

Peace referendum announcement looms
Abbas, a moderate who leads Fatah, is eager to restart long-stalled peace talks with Israel, and was expected Saturday to formally announce a July 31 date for a national referendum on establishing a Palestinian state alongside Israel.

Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh sent a letter to Abbas on Friday urging him not to hold the vote and to continue negotiations over the plan. He said the referendum would divide the Palestinian people and instead proposed forming a national unity government with Fatah.

“The idea of the referendum now on the table carries many dangers,” Haniyeh wrote. “I’m afraid it will cause a historic rift that will hurt the Palestinian cause for decades to come.”

Public opinion polls show the two-state proposal enjoys widespread support.

The Israeli army said it attacked northern Gaza Strip areas that Palestinian militants use to fire homemade rockets at Israel. But one artillery strike appeared to go dramatically off course.

Children and freedom fighters
The shells struck a crowd at a beachside picnic, killing six and wounding more than 30, Palestinian Health Minister Bassem Naim said. A woman and two children younger than 2 were among the dead, medical officials said. All the dead were believed to be related.

The barrage destroyed a tent and scattered body parts along the beach. A panicked crowd screamed and ran around in confusion as paramedics carried the bodies away.

The death toll in Gaza was the highest since Hamas took office in March after winning legislative elections.

Sami Abu Zuhri, a Hamas spokesman in Gaza, said the attack showed “the Zionist occupation ... does not distinguish between civilian children and freedom fighters.”

The Israeli military said its chief, Lt. Gen. Dan Halutz, ordered a halt in artillery attacks in the area while an investigation was conducted.

“We regret any harm caused to innocent civilians,” army Capt. Jacob Dallal said.

Israel offered medical assistance, including evacuation to hospitals in Israel, to the wounded.
CONTINUED

Airstrike kills Israel commander
The latest violence began after an Israeli airstrike killed Jamal Abu Samhadana, the highest-profile militant commander that Israel has slain in four years. He recently was commander of the Hamas government’s private militia.

Hamas, sworn to Israel’s destruction, interpreted the attack as an assault on its government and warned Israel that Abu Samhadana’s death would be avenged.

“All options are open for the resistance groups to deliver a message to the enemy that must equal the magnitude of Abu Samhadana’s loss,” Hamas lawmaker Mushir al-Masri told Hamas Radio.

It was unclear whether Hamas, which suspended its suicide bombing war against Israel in February 2005, would take direct action against Israel or simply back other factions’ operations, as it has done in the past.

Gunment escort commander’s body
Unidentified militants in the Gaza Strip fired four rockets into Israel on Friday, hitting a building in the southern town of Sderot but causing no casualties, the military said. Israel retaliated with artillery fire.

Israel frequently targets sites used by Palestinian militants to fire rockets toward Israel. Israel carried out at least three airstrikes, including one that killed three militants after they fired a rocket into Israel.

Abu Samhadana, the leader of the small Popular Resistance Committees faction, was revered in Gaza as a key figure in Palestinian rocket attacks against Israel.

A suspect in a deadly bombing of a U.S. convoy in Gaza in 2003, he maintained strong ties with the various Palestinian factions and belonged to one of the most powerful clans in the teeming Rafah refugee camp.

Hundreds of gunmen escorted Abu Samhadana’s body from the morgue to his house and then through the streets of Rafah on the way to the stadium. They fired thousands of bullets in the air, chanting, “God is great!” and “Revenge! Revenge!”

Rival militant factions, including gunmen affiliated with Abbas’ Fatah Party, joined the procession, displaying rocket launchers, assault rifles and rocket-propelled grenades.

‘I hunt them’
The prayer service proceeded quietly, and mourners streamed out of the stadium afterward toward the cemetery. Some chanted “God is great!” and “We are ready to redeem you with our souls and our blood!”

The funeral was the largest in Gaza since Hamas leader Abdel Aziz Rantisi was killed in an Israeli airstrike in April 2003.

As a key Israeli target, Abu Samhadana moved stealthily, switching cars and hideouts. Just a few days before his death, he told The Associated Press in a back alley interview that the U.S. government and its people would “pay a dear price” for leading bruising economic sanctions against the Hamas-run Palestinian Authority for its refusal to disarm militants and recognize Israel.

He said he had security measures in place against Israeli attack.

“They don’t catch me. I hunt them,” he boasted.
© 2006 MSNBC Interactive

It's too bad this happened... but when will Hamas realize that they have no one to blame but themselves. Like I've said before: recognize Israel's existance, stop specifically targeting civilians, and Israel won't have to resort to these tactics to hunt the bad guys down. With no palestinian terrorism or incitement of hatred among the people, Israel will act accordingly. Again, it is a shitty thing that happened, but at least Israel attempted to provide medical assistance to the wounded.

Yes the BBC is an awesomely fair source, you douchebag. There's nothing in that article that is prejudiced in the slightest, just like all BBC articles, because they're not in the business of giving commentary. They just report news.

Have you got the slighest bit of credible evidence that these suicide attacks you speak of were done done at the behest of Hamas?

Secondly, where does the article say that this isn't the case. Aren't they merely reporting what Hamas has said? I don't see any kind of suggestion that "Hamas has tried really hard to keep the militants in check".

Um, yes. Because they took credit for it. See, typically when people take credit for things, that's called admittance. Or are you trying to insinuate that Hamas is making a concerted effort to not only try and say they've had a cease fire, but that they are also taking credit for terrorist attacks. Oh, and that doesn't even go into the attacks by Islamic Jihad took credit for that Hamas supports and helps out either.

I agree. This is such a common sense issue to me, this post just kind of sums it up.

Credible source,please. I will concede the point if you can find me a credible source.

While we're at it, please time the time out and ask yourself if attacking the BBC's reporting here was really called for. Surely that article cannot be seen as anything but a transmission of news. Hamas said that it will officially end the ceasefire. Even if you think that they never did adhere to a ceasefire in the first place, the article doesn't seem to suggest otherwise. You can draw your own conclusions from it.

Common sense would suggest that violence is a cycle. You can't attain peace violently in these situations. Especially where there are no rules. At least in a proper war, the side that wins, wins and the thing is more or less over.

if there is a douchebag in this forum, perhaps you should look inward

Kettle, sauceplan, black.

Were you shooting for, "... pot calling the kettle black ..." ??

You think I care what a borderline retard like you thinks?

well, i know what ill try to be working through in the next few months of therapy



well with you being one of stones bitches...ill take this with a grain of salt

So Israel has admitted the rocket attack on the beach was done by them and was intentional?

Yes I do think it was worth going after the BBC for this. I can't STAND it when they just go along with whatever the PA or terrorist orgnizations say.

I don't see why verification is so hard. Go to Yahoo and type in "Hamas 2005 attacks." Or type "2006 Hamas terrorist attacks." You get all kinds of sources.

Here is an article from CNN about Hamas stopping its attacks in September.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/meast/09/ ... estinians/

Here's one from Human Rights watch about Hamas launching Qazzam Rockets in June of 2005

http://hrw.org/english/docs/2005/06/09/isrlpa11106.htm

Here's an article from Free Republic about Hamas vowing to continue attacks in August of 2005.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1467161/posts

An article from Independent Media from July.

http://www.imra.org.il/story.php3?id=25897

Again, this just scratches the surface. Hamas is a crock of shit and I give Israel all the credit in the world for not wiping them out after the first attack against them after they took office.

Now answer me this. How can the BBC just sit here and say "Hamas had a self imposed ceasefire." When it NEVER EXISTED! That's called a complete lack of journalist integrity.

I think that's the metric equivalent of the saying.

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite? ... 2FShowFull

The images of that girl crying over her dead family should be used to show the horrors of Palestinian terrorism. They kill their own people...

Maybe that article will have some more credibility once it starts appearing on other news services.

You (and the article) seem to be using incidents like this - and we have no way of knowing whether or not this is even true - to justify or ignore Israel's humiliating treatment of the Palestinians and its occupation in the West Bank.

Besides, I think it is absolutely wicked of the Israeli military to be using such massive firepower in civilian areas. This isn't defense, its pratically extermination. And they are no better than the Palestinian terrorists for it.