The Hamas terrorist group declared on Thursday that it was not afraid of Israel’s threats, after Israel delivered an ultimatum to Hamas to stop rocket fire from Gaza within 48 hours or deal with an Israeli attack on Gaza.
A spokesman for Hamas’s “military wing”, the Al-Qassam Brigades, responded to the Israeli ultimatum by saying that the campaign of the Palestinian people against the "occupier" is not bound by time, and called Israel “a racist enemy who permits the blood of others and relates only to Jewish blood as holy.”
He further said that the Palestinian people aim to release the "land of their fathers and grandfathers," and that the Al-Qassam Brigades have become an army that cannot be defeated.
In a direct message to the so-called “Zionist occupiers," the spokesman declared that "you will not dance on our blood over a long period of time” because the Palestinians will not remain indifferent to the "aggression of the enemy army and the hordes of plunderers (the Israelis -ed.).”
He further said that the Palestinian people in Judea, Samaria and Jerusalem know well how to extract a high price from “the arrogant enemy", adding that “the resistance knows its obligation very well."
Referring to the possibility of an Israeli attack in Gaza, the spokesman declared that Israel can decide on the beginning of such an attack but its conclusion will be determined by the Al-Qassam Brigades. In any case, he claimed, the Palestinians are not afraid of the Israeli threats.
Earlier, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said at a Fourth of July reception at the U.S. Ambassador's residence that Israel is preparing for two possibilities.
“One – that the fire will stop and then our operations will also stop; and the second, that the fire will continue and then our forces will act forcefully.”
The verbal exchange comes as Gaza terrorists continue the constant rocket fire on southern Israel.
Over 15 rockets, part of the roughly 40 that have been fired from Gaza in the last two days, were fired at southern Israel in a salvo Thursday afternoon, causing two fires to break out.
Another two rockets were fired towards the Shaar Hanegev and Sdot Negev regions shortly after 11:00 p.m. Thursday night.
The rockets exploded in open areas. There were no physical injuries or damages.