Hamas warns new Israeli war on Gaza as Abbas calls for blockade end

Islamic Hamas movement Wednesday warned Israel of carrying out any new military offensive on the Gaza Strip, as Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called on Israel to end a tight blockade on the enclave for more than two years.

Abu Obeida, spokesman of al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, said in a written press statement that his group warned Israel of what he described as "a strong confrontation Israel would face, if it carries a new war on the Gaza Strip. The responses won't by words, it would by fire and iron."

Israel last December launched the toughest 22-day military offensive on Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip. It left about 1,400 Palestinians killed, more than 5,000 people injured and thousands of houses and constructions destroyed.

Sami Abu Zuhri, Hamas movement's spokesman in Gaza hailed an Israeli rights group's report published on Wednesday.

The "B'Tselem" human rights organization said in a report that around half of the Palestinians killed in Gaza during the offensive were civilians.

"This report again shows that the occupation forces had committed serious war crimes against humanity and against defenseless people," said Abu Zuhri.

At the end of the war, an unofficial, undeclared fragile ceasefire was apparently agreed upon between Israel and Hamas rulers of Gaza through Egypt's mediation.

Although the war was over, Israeli blockade on the impoverished enclave continued. The 1.5 million Gazans still suffer from poverty, unemployment and difficult movement, mainly for goods and humans, especially patients and students.

In recent days, unknown Gaza militants launched several homemade rockets and mortar shells from Gaza on southern Israeli communities, which Israel responded with war jets. Reports said it had destroyed several tunnels used for smuggling on the borders between Gaza and Egypt.

"The only language the Israeli enemy understands is the language of force. The daily incursions carried out by the Zionist enemy is part of a programmed aggression. They fear anything moves near the borders, even trees foliage or sands," said Abu Obeida.

Meanwhile, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas Wednesday called on Israel to lift the blockade which has been imposed on the Gaza Strip since Hamas seized control of it in 2007.

"The siege must be lifted and the crossing points of Gaza should be opened to remove the gloominess on our beloved people who are under siege," Abbas said in a meeting with Gaza businessmen who succeeded to travel to the West Bank.

Abbas told the Gaza delegation that the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) "has presented and will continue to present all available facilities to the Gaza Strip to ease the suffering of the people there."

Hamas and Fatah are trying to end their feuds through dialogue in early October, according to official sources.

However, top Islamic Jihad leader Mohamed al-Hindi said he is not optimistic that Hamas and Fatah would end their feuds soon.

He told a group of reporters in Gaza on Tuesday evening that the only choice remained for the Palestinians "is unity and resistance."

"I think the Palestinians are passing through a severe impasse. Dialogue has failed to end their differences and the PNA is facing a radical right wing in Israel that doesn't want peace. Therefore, I would say that armed resistance is good to reunite us," said al-Hindi.