By KUNA,
Gaza : The Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) on Wednesday denounced Israeli incursions into southern Gaza Strip as a “serious escalation”.
Earlier on Tuesday, Israeli tanks and a bulldozer moved 250m into the central part of the coastal enclave, backed by military aircraft.
Israel said its troops had entered Gaza to destroy what it claimed was a tunnel dug by militants to abduct its troops.
Hamas responded by firing multiple rockets into Israel hours after six activists died during Israel’s first major incursion into Gaza Strip since June’s truce.
A Hamas spokesman said the firing of rockets into Israeli towns was a “natural response to Israeli crimes following the martyrdom of six fighters and injury of seven others.” He warned that calm in Israeli towns and Jewish settlements would not last long as long as occupying forces violated the truce, by which the Palestinian factions abided.
He called on the military wing of Hamas and other Palestinian resistance groups to avenge this Israeli aggression.
The spokesman strongly urged the Egyptian government, the sponsor of the truce, to declare its position on the Israeli aggression on the Palestinian people.
The militant wing of Hamas again said it would harshly retaliate against the overnight Israeli aggression that had violated the truce.
“Our response will be harsh, and the enemy will pay the price,” it said.