Hamas Monday denied that Egypt had warned the Islamic movement of a possible Israeli military operation in the Gaza Strip if militants continue firing rockets from the Hamas-controlled territory, Xinhua reported.
"Cairo did not convoy any threats to Hamas and the movement doesn't kneel down before the Zionist extortion," said Ismail Radwan, a Hamas spokesman.
It was reported that the Israeli government, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, sent a letter to Hamas through Egyptian mediators, saying it would respond strongly to the rocket attacks that target the Israeli communities near Gaza.
The report also said that Hamas has asked the Palestinian factions to stop firing rockets against Israel.
Hamas confirmed that it had discussed the issue of rocket attacks with other Palestinian factions that claim reasonability for the rocket attacks, including the Islamic Jihad.
However Radwan insisted that Hamas did not ask the Gaza-based militant groups to refrain themselves from firing the rockets into Israel.
"Hamas did not ask anyone to stop the rockets and only the military wings of the factions can decide on this," said Radwan.
Following a six-month truce between Palestinian militant groups and Israel between June and December 2008, Israel launched a 22- day offensive in Gaza while Hamas resumed attacks firing hundreds of home-made Qassam and Russian-made Grad rockets into Israel.
Since the end of the toughest Israeli operation in January, which left some 1,400 Palestinians killed, Hamas largely halted the rocket fire.
...