- Title: GAZA: Hamas accuse Israel of war crimes, pledges to remain defiant
- Date: 17th November 2012
- Summary: GAZA CITY, GAZA (NOVEMBER 17, 2012) (REUTERS) PEOPLE RUNNING AFTER ISRAELI AIR STRIKE HIT GAZA PORT AMBULANCE ARRIVING AT GAZA PORT CLOSE OF SIGN READING IN ARABIC AND ENGLISH 'GAZA SEAPORT' VARIOUS OF DAMAGE ON SITE PEOPLE GATHERED NEAR PORT VARIOUS OF HAMAS GOVERNMENT SPOKESPERSON, TAHER AL-NUNU, ARRIVING AT PRIME MINISTER OFFICES WHICH WERE HIT BY ISRAELI AIR STRIKE A
- Embargoed: 2nd December 2012 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Gaza
- City:
- Country: Palestinian Territories
- Topics: International Relations,Politics
- Reuters ID: LVABQUGQ7RRM1HDDXMVCDM7DRQ2W
- Story Text: Speaking from the site of an Israeli air strike, Hamas officials on Saturday (November 17) remained defiant and pledged victory over the Jewish state.
Government Spokesperson of the Islamist group that runs the Gaza Strip, held a news conference next to the destroyed office building of Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh which was bombed overnight by Israeli planes.
"(Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu is putting together a file to be presented to the International Court of Justice. He is putting together a file which looks like Goldestone report (on the 2008-2009 Gaza offensive). He has to be ready to appear before court as a war criminal," Taher al-Nunu, Hamas government spokesperson, said.
Flashing V-for-Victory sign he added: "From here, amidst the rubble, we tell the Palestinian people, the Islamic and Arab nation - we are here to flash the victory sign. We are here to declare victory. We say the enemy will lose (the battle) and will not fulfil it's aims in this operation."
Israel started its massive air campaign on Wednesday (November 14) with the declared aim of deterring Hamas from launching rockets that have plagued its southern communities for years.
Hamas, shunned by the West over its refusal to recognise Israel, says its cross-border attacks have come in response to Israeli strikes against Palestinian fighters in Gaza.
Rocket fire by militants into Israel resumed after dawn following a relative lull overnight, but the number was still lower than on the previous three days since the start of the offensive, an Israeli military spokesman said.
One Israeli air strike has hit Gaza port causing damage to buildings.
The Israeli army said it had targeted a number of government buildings during the night, including Haniyeh's office, the Hamas Interior Ministry and a police compound.
Egypt's Rafah crossing opened on Saturday (November 17) to allow the transfer of Gaza wounded.
Egypt's Islamist government is allied with Hamas but also party to a 1979 peace treaty with Israel.
Officials in Gaza said 38 Palestinians, half of them civilians including eight children and a pregnant woman, had been killed in Gaza since Israel began its air strikes. Three Israeli civilians were killed by a rocket on Thursday (November 15) .
The Israeli military said some 150 rockets fired from Gaza had hit Israel since Friday and at least 83 more were intercepted by its Iron Dome anti-missile system.
Hamas fighters are no match for the Israeli military. The last Gaza war, involving a three-week long Israeli air blitz and ground invasion over the New Year period of 2008-2009, killed more than 1,400 Palestinians, mostly civilians. Thirteen Israelis died. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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