Hamas Announces ’Popular Army’: Ready for Any Future Conflict with ’Israel’

Local Editor

Hamas announced the creation of a "popular army" in the seized Gaza Strip on Friday, saying it was ready for any future conflict with "Israel", particularly over the flashpoint al-Aqsa mosque compound.

At a ceremony at the Jabaliya refugee camp in the north of the occupied Palestinian land of Gaza, a spokesman for the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades -- the military arm of the Hamas movement -- said 2,500 recruits would form "the first section of the popular army for the liberation of al-Aqsa and of Palestine."

A Hamas official, Mohammed Abu Askar, said those older than 20 could sign up "to be prepared for any confrontation" with "Israel".

He said the new force had been established "at a moment when the al-Aqsa mosque is subject to serious "Israeli" violations."

Another al-Qassam spokesman said, "The people, arms and the tunnels are going well", in reference to Hamas' network of underground passages.

"Israel" waged a 50-day aggression on seized Gaza, martyring more than 2,100 Palestinians, most of them civilians from July to August.

Additionally, frequent clashes between Palestinian protesters and Zionist police occur around the al-Aqsa mosque compound in occupied east Al-Quds as "Israel" continues to restrict the entry of Palestinian worshipers into the mosque compound.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team