- Title: Armed Palestinian factions conduct a military drill in Gaza
- Date: 29th December 2020
- Summary: GAZA CITY, GAZA (DECEMBER 29, 2020) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF ROCKETS BEING LAUNCHED INTO THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA PALESTINIAN MILITANT MEMBERS FROM DIFFERENT FACTIONS DURING DRILL PALESTINIAN MILITANTS IN AN INFLATABLE DINGHY PALESTINIAN MILITANT FIRING AT RANGE VARIOUS OF EXPLOSIONS ON BEACH MORE OF MILITARY DRILL MILITANTS PULLING MAN ON SAND DRONE BELONGING TO MILITANTS FLY OVER BEACH, INFLATABLE DINGHY IN WATER, EXPLOSION IN WATER VARIOUS OF ARMED MILITANTS ON BEACH, RED SPILL IN WATER ON SHORE EXPLOSIONS ON SHORE ARMED MILITANTS ON SHORE RED SPILL IN WATER ON SHORE, BODY FLOATING IN WATER VARIOUS OF EXPLOSIONS ON SHORE VARIOUS OF MILITANTS ON SHORE DURING DRILL (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) ABU UBAIDA, SPOKESPERSON OF IZZ EL-DEEN AL-QASSAM BRIGADES - HAMAS, AND SPOKESPERSON OF JOINT FACTIONS, DURING DRILL PRESS CONFERENCE, SAYING: "These resistance drills are an assurance of the readiness of the resistance, to defend our people in all its states, and under all circumstances, and the leadership of the resistance is ready for any battle to protect our land and people. God is mighty, and victory to our people and resistance." PALESTINIAN MILITANTS FROM DIFFERENT FACTIONS PALESTINIAN MILITANTS IN AN INFLATABLE DINGHY SEVERAL PALESTINIAN SPECTATORS WATCHING DRILL ARMED PALESTINIAN MILITANTS IN DIVING SUITS IN WATER PALESTINIAN MILITANT WEARING MASK PALESTINIAN MILITANT CARRYING RIFFLE VARIOUS OF SMALL PLANE FLYING OVERHEAD, BELONGING TO MILITANTS BILLBOARD IN STREET BILLBOARD IN STREET WITH THE PORTRAIT OF IRANIAN MILITANT COMMANDER GENERAL QASSEM SOLEIMANI IN ARABIC LANGUAGE READING: 'THE MARTYRED LEADER SOLEIMANI WHO SPENT HIS LIFE IN SUPPORT OF THE RESISTANCE... THE MARTYR OF JERUSALEM, THE MARTYR OF JERUSALEM, THE MARTYR OF JERUSALEM. HAJ ISMAIL HANIYEH, HEAD OF THE POLITICAL OFFICE OF HAMAS'
- Embargoed: 12th January 2021 13:07
- Keywords: Gaza armed drones militants rockets
- Location: GAZA CITY, GAZA
- City: GAZA CITY, GAZA
- Country: Palestinian Territories
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Middle East
- Reuters ID: LVA001DB2643R
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: An array of Palestinian militant groups launched rockets into the Mediterranean Sea off the Gaza Strip on Tuesday (December 29) at the start of what they called their first-ever joint exercise, which Israeli media described as a show of force organised by Iran.
Gaza is run by Hamas and also home to other militant groups, including Islamic Jihad. The exercise was announced on behalf of a joint command set up by the groups in 2018.
Eight rockets streaked through a cloudless sky in Gaza towards the Mediterranean after Abu Hamza, spokesman for Islamic Jihad, delivered a speech launching the drill. It will include land and coastal exercises described by the groups as a test of their preparedness for any future confrontation with Israel.
Israeli media said the drill was organised by the militants' sponsors in Tehran to demonstrate risks Israel could face if Iran comes under U.S. or Israeli attack in the waning days of the Trump administration.
On the eve of the exercise, a large portrait of Iranian military commander General Qassem Soleimani, who was killed last January in a U.S. attack in Iraq, was erected along Gaza's main coastal road.
Tensions between Iran and Israel have risen since the Nov. 27 assassination of top Iranian nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh. Iran has blamed Israel for his death; Israel has neither confirmed nor denied a role.
Tuesday's Gaza missile display did not trigger any sirens in Israel, whose drones keep a close eye on Gaza and which employs a sophisticated missile interception system.
Due to last 24 hours, the exercise included fighters from Hamas, Islamic Jihad, the Popular Resistance Committees and smaller armed groups.
(Production: Nuha Sharaf, Mohammad Shana, Fadi Shana, Arafat Barbakh) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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