The spokesman of the Hamas military wing stated that Israel did not succeed to eliminate Deif: “The Egyptian initiative was born dead and it is now buried along with the infant son of Muhammed Deif.”
Hamas denies that Muhammed Deif was killed and threatened to fire rockets at Ben-Gurion International Airport. They claimed, “With Allah’s help, Muhammed Deif will be the general commander of the military that will convene on Al Aqsa Mosque after victory.”
Abu Ubaida, the spokesman of the Izz Adin Al Qassam Brigades, stated that Deif will be “purified until our country is liberated until it won’t be littered with the last occupier with Allah’s help. The resistance organizations can come to you.” Abu Ubaida did not explicitly state that Deif survived, but claimed that “Israel did not succeed when it bombed in thinking that they found Deif. The Israeli leaders and intelligence were sitting in front of their screens and waiting to celebrate but failed.”
“The Egyptian initiative was born dead and it is buried with the death of the son of Deif,” Abu Ubaida added, ordering the Palestinian delegation to return from Cairo and stressed that the rocket fire around the Gaza vicinity will continue. They threatened foreign airlines not to get close to Ben-Gurion International Airport starting at 6:00 a.m. Thursday and Israelis were warned not to gather at football games.
In a press conference Wednesday night, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yaalon addressed the Israeli public. Netanyahu first made a personal appeal to soldiers, bereaved families, residents of the Gaza border, Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, and all citizens in general. He thanked them for their solidarity during the last weeks of Operation Protective Edge. “Our goal, he said, “is that all citizens will sleep quietly. This is the strongest blow that Hamas has been dealt since their inception,” he added, “We will not stop until we can ensure security to the citizens of the south as well as Israel in general. Our mode of operation is simple. You fire rockets, we will attack.”
(See: http://www.jerusalemonline.com/ news/politics-and-military/military/hamas-military-wing-we-will-fire-at-ben-gurion-international-airport-at-600-7492?utm_ source=contactology&utm_ medium=email&utm_ campaign=DailyNewsletter)
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By Rivka Salomon/www.jerusalemonline.com
