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Hamas vows retaliation to Israeli attacks amid tension

December 10, 2017 at 3:47 pm

Members of Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of the Hamas, take part in a military parade on the third anniversary of Israel’s attacks on Gaza in Khan Yunis, Gaza on 20 July 2017 [Mustafa Hassona/Anadolu Agency]

The armed wing of Palestinian group Hamas has vowed to respond to recent Israeli airstrikes in the Gaza Strip, amid tension over US President Donald Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

Israel “will pay the price of breaking rules of engagement with the resistance in Gaza,” the Ezzeddin al-Qassam Brigades said in a statement released on Sunday.

Two Palestinians were killed on Saturday when Israeli warplanes carried out raids in the Gaza Strip. Earlier today, Israel announced to have also destroyed a ‘significant’ tunnel coming into Israel from the Gaza Strip.

“The coming days will prove to the enemy that it has made a big mistake and miscalculated the resolve of the resistance,” the Brigades said.

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On Wednesday, Trump announced US recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and said the US Embassy would be relocated from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. The dramatic shift in Washington’s Jerusalem policy triggered demonstrations in the occupied Palestinian territories and across the world.

Tension has risen across the Palestinian territories since US President Donald Trump’s decision to officially recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

Most countries consider East Jerusalem, which Israel annexed after capturing it in a 1967 war, to be occupied territory, and say the status of the city should be left to be decided at future Israeli-Palestinian talks.

While the international community has almost unanimously disagreed with Donald Trump’s announcement, reports suggest that the announcement was done with the pre-agreement of Egypt and Saudi Arabia, with the Saudi Arabia going as far as, allegedly, stating to the Palestinian President to accept a village on the outskirts of Jerusalem as the alternative Palestinian capital.