The Islamic Resistance Movement, or Hamas, said earlier that Israeli threats to target its leaders won't terrify them though they went underground.
"The Zionist threats will not terrify the movement nor its leaders," said Ismail Radwan, a Hamas spokesman, a day after Israeli Transportation Minister Shaul Mofaz urged security establishment to resume targeted assassinations of Hamas leaders Xinhua.
"Israel will harvest blood if it carried out any assassination and no Israeli will be immune from our resistance's fire," Radwan added.
The Israeli threats were made after Gaza militants stepped up rocket attacks against Israeli border towns. The attacks came in response to a series of Israeli operations that have killed 14 militants these days, most of whom are members of Hamas.
The violence since Nov.4 rocked an Egyptian-brokered ceasefire that has been held for five months.
Meanwhile, an Arab newspaper reported that Hamas leaders went underground for fears of Israeli retaliatory strikes.
"The protection and security department of Hamas has restricted the movement of Hamas leaders in Gaza Strip and intensified security measures around them," reported the London-based al-Quds al-Arabi newspaper.
According to the report, an Arab country passed an Israeli message for the leaders of Hamas and the Islamic Jihad, threatening them of "harsh measures" if rocket attacks do not stop.