London Daily: Hamas leadership blocks military section from striking Israel

 

Pay-back for IAF retaliatory strikes had been planned for last week but gov’t leaders held back.

Instead, Hamas re-deploys its rocket prevention force on their border with Israel.

By YASSER OKBI

 

 

Hamas canceled plans for retaliatory strikes against Israel last week at the urging of the head of the organization’s administration in Gaza,  the London-based pan-Arabic daily Asharq Alawsat reported on Tuesday.

IDF units prepare their tanks for the evening on the Gaza border. – Photo: Israel Spokesperson’s Unit


The Izzadin Kassam Brigades, Hamas’s military wing, had planned to launch rocket attacks on southern Israel in response to the Israel Air Force’s bombing of its headquarters last Thursday, but the political leaders of the terrorist organization vetoed the move.

Over the previous weekend Hamas’s military wing  withdrew about 900 members of its rocket-prtevention force who were guarding the border between Gaza and Israel.  The troops operate along the border fence with Israel working to thwart extremist organizations, such as Islamic Jihad, from launching mortars and rockets at the western Negev.

The Interior Ministry of Hamas announced Tuesday that forces had re-deployed along the border fence with Israel to once again prevent rocket fire.

Palestinian security sources said that the withdrawal of troops was a protest against the IDF attack in Gaza on Thursday.

 

View original Jerusalem Post publication at: http://www.jpost.com/Defense/Report-Hamas-leadership-prevents-military-wing-from-attacking-Israel-340319