Hamas fighters battling Israeli troops in the
Gaza Strip would soon see victory, the movement's leader Ismail Haniya said
Monday night, dpa reported.
Speaking in a pre-recorded televised speech carried on Hamas' al- Aqsa
television, an exhausted-looking Haniya said Hamas had an "appointment to
meet soon with victory against an enemy which has shown no mercy to stones,
trees and humans."
It was only Haniya's second appearance since the Israel assault against Hamas
in the Strip began on December 27. Like other Hamas leaders in the salient, he
went into hiding as soon as Israel launched its Operation Cast Lead in response
massive rocket and mortar bombardments from the salient on its southern towns
and villages.
In the 17 days since the operation began, over 900 Gazans, including an
estimated hundreds of Hamas militants, have been killed, and thousands more
wounded.
"The residents of Gaza are not afraid and are not crying, despite losing their
loved ones," Haniya said.
"We are working on two parallel tracks, the first is the track of
resistance and steadfastness and the second is the political track to confront
the military aggression on our people," he continued.
He also quoted verses from the Muslim holy book, the Koran, which talk about
patience, power and steadfastness in fighting the enemy.
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