Hamas warns "Israel" after "Israeli" tanks, infantry and air force assault Gaza

Source: Telegraph.co.uk, 18-5-2007
Jerusalem (al-Quds) - The Middle East was on the verge of war last night after Hamas, the Palestinian militant organisation, threatened to renew self-sacrifice bombings in "Israel". It did so after "Israel" launched air and ground attacks on the Gaza Strip.
"All options are open, including martyrdom operations (self-sacrifice attacks)," Abu Obeida, a spokesman for the military wing of Hamas, said.
Three Palestinian militants and three civilians were reported to have died in a wave of "Israeli" air strikes.
The "Israeli" army insisted that all were legitimate (so-called) `terrorist` targets, although Palestinians reported one of the vehicles hit was a rubbish truck containing an innocent father and his two teenage sons.
"Israel" added more military pressure when it sent tanks and a small ground force about a mile into northern Gaza before they apparently dug in for the night.
It was a clear show of strength but was not expected to lead to the sort of large-scale incursion seen in Gaza during the Second Intifada, which began in 2000.
Khaled Meshaal, the Hamas leader exiled to Syria, reflected this thinking when, hours after "Israel" launched its retaliatory attacks, he heralded the "historic opportunity" for the two factions to join together.
After four days of blood-letting between the two factions there was a noticeable reduction in fatalities yesterday although three people died in fighting at a funeral of one of the victims who died on Wednesday.
If Hamas was seeking to provoke a tough response from the "Israelis", Tel Aviv obliged with its first air strikes in central Gaza City since last November`s ceasefire was declared.
A building used by Hamas was first to be hit. Later "Israeli" helicopters launched attacks on vehicles that "Israel" claimed were ferrying Qassam rockets to launch positions.