Hamas celebrates truce 'victory,' warns of future resistance against Israel

"We have prepared a serious missile attack that will hit Israel from Haifa in North to Ramon Airport in South," Hamas threatened.

By ANNA AHRONHEIM, JERUSALEM POST STAFF, REUTERS
Updated: MAY 21, 2021 14:14
A Palestinian holds a Hamas flag as he stands next to others atop a walk of the al-Aqsa mosque following clashes with Israeli police at the compound that houses al-Aqsa Mosque, known to Muslims as Noble Sanctuary and to Jews as Temple Mount, in Jerusalem's Old City May 10, 2021. (photo credit: AMMAR AWAD/REUTERS)
A Palestinian holds a Hamas flag as he stands next to others atop a walk of the al-Aqsa mosque following clashes with Israeli police at the compound that houses al-Aqsa Mosque, known to Muslims as Noble Sanctuary and to Jews as Temple Mount, in Jerusalem's Old City May 10, 2021.
(photo credit: AMMAR AWAD/REUTERS)
The fragile Israel-Hamas ceasefire that went into effect in the Gaza Strip at 2 a.m. on Friday seemed to hold throughout the morning as Palestinians shared footage of clashes and mass celebrations in Jerusalem, Gaza and the West Bank.
Clashes near the Damascus Gate erupted just hours after the Egyptian-mediated truce went into effect. 

Video of the clashes near the Damascus Gate, circulated by Palestinian media, shows tear gas explosions and sound grenades near the gate.

 
Celebratory demonstrations took place in the Gaza Strip and West Bank as well, following the ceasefire. Fireworks, singing, and parades down the streets could be seen in uploaded footage shared on social media, accompanied with the hashtag #Palestine_Victorious.

On the Temple Mount, thousands of Palestinians launched fireworks and waved Palestinian flags. Video reportedly showing crowds entering the complex, showed Palestinians chanting and throwing objects at Israeli police who stood along the side.

Jerusalem District Police increased its forces in the city, with a focus on east Jerusalem, due to concerns of riots. Border Police were stationed by a number of neighborhoods, including Silwan and Issawiya, where they checked all vehicles entering and exiting the neighborhoods.
Overnight, Israel Police were present at a number of sites where marches and riots took place. Police stated that they used riot dispersal measures and that the rioters attempted to harm police, with one police officer injured after he was hit by fireworks. A number of police vehicles were damaged.
A Jewish driver was attacked in the Beit Hanina neighborhood of Jerusalem early on Friday morning, by assailants who threw stones and hit his vehicle with other vehicles and he fired in the air to drive them away, according to KAN.
Clashes with Israeli security forces were also reported in a town near Nablus.
 

Khalil al-Hayya, Hamas's deputy leader in Gaza, declared, "Today the resistance declares victory over our enemies. Praise be to God who postponed our meal so that we can rejoice in two joys, the joy of Eid [al-Fitr] and the joy of victory."
Al-Hayya's house was demolished by IDF in the last week during Operation Guardian of the Walls. 
Reuters confirmed that a Hamas official said Israel must end its violations in Jerusalem and address damages from the bombardment of Gaza following the ceasefire.
"It is true the battle ends today but Netanyahu and the whole world should know that our hands are on the trigger and we will continue to grow the capabilities of this resistance," said Ezzat El-Reshiq, a member of the Hamas political bureau.
He told Reuters in Doha that the movement's demands also include protecting Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem and ending the eviction of several Palestinians from their home in East Jerusalem which Reshiq described as "a red line."
Hamas fired rockets towards Gaza border communities merely two hours before the expected 'mutual and unconditional' ceasefire.
The Fire and Rescue Spokeswoman for Israel's Southern District reported a direct hit to a printing press in the Eshkol Regional Council and Magen David Adom treated a 53-year-old man who was lightly injured.
The IDF carried out airstrikes on targets throughout the Gaza Strip shortly thereafter, as seen in video footage posted by Kan News. 

Hamas spokesman Abu Obeida warned Israel, "we have prepared a serious missile attack that would hit Israel from Haifa in the north to Ramon Airport in the south and we have frozen it due to the ceasefire."
"If the enemy proves that they stand by the ceasefire and do not attack until 02:00 tonight, the missile strike will not take place," Obeida added.
Hezbollah congratulated Hamas on Friday for what it called a "heroic round," saying that Palestinian terrorist groups had managed to establish "new rules that will pave the way for the next great victory, and restore life to the Palestinian cause."
"This victory, which was achieved today, will have very important strategic, political and cultural implications for the future of conflict in the region," added Hezbollah, calling Israel "weaker than a spider's web."
On Thursday, before the truce went into effect, rocket barrages continued to pound southern Israel.
Though no rockets were fired between 1 a.m. and 9 a.m., several salvos were launched toward border communities. Rocket and mortar fire continued throughout the day, with sirens sounding in Ashkelon, Ashdod, Beersheba and neighboring communities.
Several rockets struck homes in Ashkelon and Ashdod, causing extensive damage. A 26-year-old man was lightly injured from glass shards and other debris after a house was hit. He was taken for medical treatment to Barzilai Medical Center by the Magen David Adom rescue service.
Hamas also fired an anti-tank missile toward an empty military bus near the community of Zikim.
A preliminary investigation found that the bus was on its way to bringing back about 10 paratroopers from a mission, and had traveled on non-exposed routes and dropped off the soldiers in the permitted area. After the soldiers got off, the bus advanced a few more meters outside the base, where it was exposed, and was hit by an anti-tank missile.
One soldier standing next to the vehicle was lightly wounded by shrapnel upon impact, and was taken to Soroka-University Medical Center in Beersheba. There were no other injuries.
After the incident, Gaza terrorists intensified mortar fire to the area.
It was the third time that a vehicle has been hit by anti-tank fire.
Later in the day, the IDF said that it carried out an airstrike against a car in the northern Gaza Strip claiming that those inside were part of an anti-tank cell belonging to Hamas. The military said it also destroyed a launchpad in Beit Lahiya where a cell launched an anti-tank missile toward the bus.
A senior commander in the Gaza Division told reporters on Wednesday that anti-tank guided missiles are a major threat, and that there have been 40 strikes against ATGM cells. Due to the military’s focus on those cells, Hamas only has around a dozen launchers left and feels hunted and vulnerable, he said.
The IDF, meanwhile, continued to strike targets belonging to Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad throughout the day, albeit with much less intensity than in previous days.
The targets hit on Thursday included a number of drone launchers, four tunnels, a military operations room, and 30 Hamas rocket launchers including multi-barrel ones. According to the IDF, some of the launchers were above ground, and some had been buried in order to make them more difficult for Israel to strike. Some of the rocket launchers were armed and aimed toward Israel, the IDF said, and that a number of operatives were also struck while firing rockets.
According to the military, about 430 rocket launchers belonging to the two groups were destroyed in recent days, and 20 operatives launching the rockets were killed.
Overnight, the Israeli military continued to strike throughout Gaza, including additional targets as part of its campaign to hit Hamas’s underground tunnel network.
Targets struck included weapons production sites and several launch and underground positions, as well as weapons storage units located inside the residence of the former justice and released prisoners minister, who previously served as a member of the Hamas Political Bureau.
Other residences where the IDF said military infrastructure was placed were also hit. The homes included that of Ashraf Al-Jabari, who is in charge of training at the terror organization’s so-called military wing in Khan Yunis; Muhammad Abu Mustafa, a commander in the Nuhba Forces of Hamas’s East Khan Yunis Battalion; Muhammad Bu’ab, commander of the Hamas East Rafah Battalion; and Osama Abu Anza, who serves as head of the surface-to-surface missile unit in the Khan Yunis Brigade.
According to the IDF, over 4,000 rockets and mortars have been fired since the beginning of the fighting. About 70 rockets and mortar shells were fired between 7 p.m. Wednesday and 7 a.m. Thursday, with 10 falling short into Gaza.
Jerusalem Post staff contributed to this report.


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