Islamic Jihad: We'll Hit Back If Israel Continues Gaza Strikes

Islamic Jihad: We’ll hit back if Israel continues Gaza strikes

TOI STAFF

A senior member of Palestinian Islamic Jihad said Saturday that Gaza terror groups have sent a message to Egyptian mediators warning of a violent response if Israel continues to carry out strikes on the Strip in response to balloon-borne attacks that have burned crops and open-land in southern Israel.

Khader Habib told the Al Ayam newspaper that if the retaliatory strikes continue, as well as the blockade on the Strip that Israel says is necessary to prevent terror groups from building up military capabilities, “the [terror] organizations will respond in a similar fashion.”

“We will not allow the Israeli government to impose its conditions on the resistance or isolate Gaza,” Habib said, according to the Kan public broadcaster, adding that the terror groups have already formulated a plan if Israel continues its actions.

Habib additionally warned of potential fighting along the whole Gaza border, despite the calls for restraint by some within the enclave.

Meanwhile, Minister for Regional Cooperation Issawi Frej addressed the matter of Israel’s retaliatory strikes, telling an event in the northern city of Hadera on Saturday that “sometimes there’s no choice.”

The Islamic Jihad threat came a month after an 11-day conflict raged between Israel and Gaza terror groups, with the fragile ceasefire under heavy strain and after the Israel Defense Forces chief ordered the military to prepare for a resumption of fighting.

The warning came amid rising tensions as the IDF launched airstrikes on Hamas targets throughout the enclave on Thursday night in response to ongoing arson attacks.

Terrorists in the Strip restarted launching balloons carrying incendiary and explosive devices into southern Israel ahead of a contentious Jewish nationalist flag march in Jerusalem this week. The move was a violation of the fragile ceasefire agreement that began May 2.

Since the fighting between Israel and Gaza terror groups ended last month, Hamas has repeatedly warned that it could restart heavy fighting over developments in Jerusalem.

The balloon-borne attacks also came as Hamas has reportedly been frustrated by delays in receiving the latest installation of monthly aid it receives from Qatar.