"Israeli" officials: We will pay heavy price if we ventured into Gaza

Source: PIC, 01-11-2007
OCCUPIED JERUSALEM- "Israeli" military officials expressed concern of the ability of the Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, after it managed to confront the IOF troops advancing on the outskirts of the Gaza Strip, which resulted in killing and injuring many "Israeli" soldiers.
The "Israeli" military officials believe that the IOF troops would pay dearly if "Israel" carried out its threats of waging a large-scale military operation against Gaza, where they would face tough resistance by the well-trained Qassam fighters.
For his part, "Israeli" war minister Ehud Barak confirmed last Tuesday his willingness to carry out a large-scale military operation in Gaza, but the "Israeli" premier Ehud Olmert refuses, so far, to give the green light for the military invasion.
For his part, Abu Obeida, the spokesman for the Qassam Brigades, underlined that the Brigades prepared a painful retaliation to the "heinous crime" perpetrated by the "Israeli" occupation against four Palestinian policemen from the intervention and maintenance of order force.
Abu Obeida considered the silence of PA chief Mahmoud Abbas and his entourage implicit blessing to the "Israeli" crimes in the Gaza Strip.
The Qassam spokesman warned the IOF troops of any military adventure in Gaza, promising that every "Israeli" soldier trying to enter Gaza is liable to be killed.
In another context, prisoner Adnan Asfour, a Hamas leader, denied in a statement in the "Israeli" Shatta prison the PA`s fabrications that Hamas relinquished resistance against the "Israeli" occupation and that it attempts to prevent the other Palestinian factions from resisting the occupation, highlighting that the "Israeli" occupation itself recognizes everyday the Qassam fighters` death defiance.
Asfour cited the fact that the quality operation of Ariel is a clear sign that Hamas would never give up the choice of resistance.
The Hamas leader stated that Hamas was originally founded as a faction combining between the political work, which protects the national constants, and the resistance as a means to eliminate "Israeli" occupation