Hamas 'very satisfied' with fleeing Jews

Terror leader says rocket attacks at Israeli towns to intensify

Aaron Klein, WND|Published: 11.21.06 , 19:26

Hamas is "very satisfied" with reports here some Israelis in communities near the Gaza Strip are ready to flee their rocket-plagued towns while students reportedly have been skipping school for fear of being caught in regular Palestinian attacks, a senior leader of Hamas' military wing told WND in an interview yesterday.

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"The importance of what is happening in Sderot proves to the Palestinians, especially those who say rockets bring no results, that rocket attacks do bring big benefits," said Abu Abdullah, who is considered one of the most important operational members of Hamas' Izz al-Din al-Qassam Martyrs Brigades, Hamas' declared military wing.

"We promise we will keep hitting them because this process (of launching rockets at Jewish communities) is starting to bring results. We are working to improve our rockets to hit further and cause more Jews to evacuate," said the terror leader, speaking to WND from Gaza.

'Our attacks will soon oblige Israelis to evacuate'

Hamas' Abu Abdullah told WND his group and other terror organizations are working to step up rocket attacks and target further inside Israel.

"Our goal is to evacuate neighborhoods in Sderot and Ashkelon," he said. "I am sure in next months it will not only be Ashkelon but also Ashdod (a major Israeli port city about 20 miles from Gaza) that will be our target."

Referring to a previous plan by the Israeli Defense Forces to use artillery units to create a civilian-free "sterile zone" in the northern Gaza areas most frequently used to launch attacks, Abu Abdullah said Palestinian rockets "will soon oblige Israelis to make their own sterile zones and evacuate their people."

The terror leader scoffed at pinpoint Israeli operations carried out the last few months in the northern Gaza Strip aimed at stopping rocket attacks.

"Even if they kill hundreds of our fighters, there is no way (the Israelis) can stop our attacks. While Israel was acting all over in Beit Hanoun, we shot many rockets from Beit Hanoun using new techniques of shooting I will not tell you about."