A year since the onset of last summer's Operation Protective Edge, Hamas took to Twitter to boast of their military prowess during the nearly two-month long operation.
In a new post, the Islamic group noted sites such as the Dimona reactor, Ben-Gurion Airport, Jerusalem, and Gush Dan (Tel Aviv metropolis) as "notable sites bombed during Operation Protective Edge."
Although Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal said in the past that, "We do not target civilians, and we try most of the time to aim at military targets and Israeli bases," the poster says otherwise, taking aim at metropolises such as Haifa, Jerusalem, and Gush Dan, on top of military airbases Palmachim and Ramon, and the Kanaf 2 nuclear base.
Hamas leaders continue to talk about "victory" over Israel on the first anniversary of the war.
Saleh Arouri, a senior Hamas operative based in Turkey, said in a statement that the "victory of the Palestinian people was a real step toward paving the way for independence and freedom."
Acknowledging the heavy price Hamas paid during the conflict, Arouri, who according to Israeli security sources is responsible for the recent spate of terrorist attacks against Israelis, also predicted that the "victory" would accelerate the release of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel."True, our people made huge sacrifices during the 52-day war, but we have made strategic achievements in the long term - ones that will pave the way for liberation and freedom for Palestinian prisoners," Arouri said."This victory will also deter the occupier from launching another aggression on our people," he added. "Any renewed aggression on our people won't go unanswered."
Khalil al-Haya, another top Hamas official, also issued defiant statements marking the anniversary of the war.
"The occupation, which waged war against our defenseless people and continued the siege of the Gaza Strip, won't succeed in breaking our will and resolve," Haya stressed.
Hamas also insists that its armed wing, Izzadin Kassam, remains as strong as ever despite the heavy casualties it suffered during the war. Its commanders said in the past few days that they have been able to replace the rockets and missiles that were destroyed during the war. They also claimed that Hamas has been able to rebuild scores of tunnels along the border with Israel that were targeted by the IDF.
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Hamas announces 2 new missile systems dedicated to commanders killed in Gaza war -Hamas announced yesterday the operational status of two new missile systems to be included in the Palestinian group's arsenal.
In a statement marking the year anniversary of last summer's war in Gaza, Hamas said it has put into service the 'al-Attar A' and the 'Abu Shamala' missiles, named after Hamas commanders Raed al-Attar and Mohammed Abu Shamala, who were killed last August in Operation Protective Edge.
"Time will prove their effectiveness," said Hamas spokesman Abu Oveida of the alleged new projectiles.
He added that the war against Israel was "still ongoing," noting that the issue of releasing Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails was of priority for Hamas.
The Hamas spokesman said the latest conflict in Gaza constituted "a strategic transformation for our people's jihad, and reinstated the hope for returning to our homeland."
Photos: Hamas announcements and some of the long range rocket debris and damages in Tel Aviv metropolis last summer
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