BICOM

Hamas held a large-scale military rally in Gaza yesterday. During the public show of force, Hamas reiterated its commitment to the destruction of Israel.

Although Hamas’s military capability was seriously damaged during Operation Protective Edge, with many rockets and attack tunnels destroyed, yesterday saw around 2,000 Hamas fighters take part in the parade. It also included long-range rockets and other military hardware such as vehicles with multiple-launcher rockets. Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said that the rally showed “that Hamas has not been weakened.”

Meanwhile, a senior Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya pledged yesterday, “This illusion called Israel will be removed. It will be removed at the hands of the Kassam Brigades [Hamas’s military wing].” Al-Hayya continued, “Anyone who thinks that Israel is here to stay is wrong. All of Palestine is Islamic land and no one will share it.”

Reuters says that Abu Abaida, a spokesman for the Kassam Brigades, also addressed the crowd of several thousand who gathered yesterday. He praised Iran for supplying Hamas with both weapons and money, underscoring Tehran’s close links and support for Hamas and its activities.

Also over the weekend, Israeli jets scrambled after Hamas launched an unmanned drone in Gaza. Although it did not cross Israeli air space and the Israeli jets returned to base, it was another attempted display of Hamas’s strength. In addition, Reuters says that Israel again reported that Hamas has test-fired rockets into the Mediterranean Sea. Hamas would neither confirm nor deny the suggestion.

An Egyptian-brokered ceasefire put an end to Operation Protective Edge in August and has largely held firm ever since. Egypt planned to broker a longer-term agreement between Israel and Hamas, but put an end to talks after accusing Hamas of aiding a deadly large-scale attack on Egyptian forces in the Sinai Peninsula, which borders both the Gaza Strip and Israel.