By Xinhua
Gaza : Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) on Saturday denied it aims at killing Israeli children and women by the rocket it fires from Gaza Strip.
“Hamas doesn’t mean to kill children by its rockets,” spokesman Ismail Radwan told reporters in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip. His remarks were in response to al-Qaida’s No. 2 leader Aymanal-Zawahiri who said Hamas’ random rockets kill Jews women and children in violation of Islam law.
But Radwan added that “the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinians may involve some killings of children,” blaming the Israeli army on “deliberately killing children, women and destroying houses and mosques.”
Local Palestinian media reported that al-Zawahri’s statements appeared on an Islamic website as part of responses he sent t oreaders’ questions.
Hamas, which classifies itself a moderate Islamic movement, did not officially respond to the sharpest criticism since the views’ difference started with the extremist al-Qaida following Hamas’ winning of legislative elections and the formation of a Palestinian government in 2006.
Last June, Hamas routed security forces of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and took over the Gaza Strip. Israel accuses Hamas of supporting rocket attacks into the Jewish state’s border communities.