Hamas: Killing its Own in Gaza

Earlier this week, a devastating explosion rocked Gaza, destroying homes and wounding 36 people, including many children. 

The explosion was caused by the accidental detonation of weapons stored in a home in a civilian neighborhood in Gaza.

 
Israel's military Arabic-language spokesman, Avichay Adraee, said on Twitter. “ Homes have been turned into warehouses for weapons... and missiles for terrorist organizations, and those who pay the price in the end are innocent civilians”

This was not the first time weapons earmarked for Israeli civilians have killed their creators.

In 2005, a  Palestinian pickup truck carrying rockets exploded during a Hamas military parade through the densely populated Gaza Strip. According to Palestinian officials at least 19 Palestinians were killed, and  over 80 were injured. The casualties included 5 children. The initial explosion triggered secondary blasts in nearby vehicles that were also carrying rockets and ammunition. 

Hamas and other extremist factions within Gaza have seldom showed any hesitation using their civilians as shields for their weapons, while targetting Israeli civilians.  Its a double war crime that rarely makes the papers.

In a rare moment of candor, even Amnesty International has admitted that Palestinian rocket fire during the 2014  war in Gaza had killed more civilians in the Gaza Strip than in Israel.  Rockets aimed at Israel  had fallen short of their target, and killed at least 13 civilians, 11 of them children, in Gaza.

After the end of the 2014 war, it was calculated that terror factions in  Gaza fired 4,591 projectiles at Israel.  3,659 struck Israeli territory, 735 were intercepted by Iron Dome and another 197 fell within Gaza, terrorizing its inhabitants, who  like the Israelis, are also victims of Hamas terror.

Hamas: Misplaced priorities during the global pandemic

The world is at a standstill with shelter in place orders interupting all but the most basic routines.  Governments are investing significant resources to test and treat Covid-19 patients. Scientists are studying the virus, looking for points of weakness, and potential vaccines. 

And in Gaza, they are shooting rockets at Israeli civilians, and digging terror tunnels.

On Tuesday, a rocket was fired from Gaza, targetting Israeli civilians in the southland. And today the military wing of Hamas- the al-Qassam Brigades- announced the death of 25-year-old Moamen Ahmed Abu Hajar after a terror tunnel he was working in collapsed.

Two examples of the woefully misplaced priorities of Hamas, directing their resources towards terror.

Moamen Ahmed Abu Hajar

Moamen Abu Hajar was given a hero's funeral in Gaza, with no adherence to the  "social distancing" guidelines meant to reduce the spread of infection.

Funeral of Moamen Ahmed Abu Hajar

Moamen Ahmed Abu Hajar in happier times, presented for those that still claim the tunnels are the work of a desperate starving people.

Why is Hamas spending its money, its time, and its energy on terrorism in middle of a global pandemic?  Why do they continually prioritize taking Jewish lives, rather than saving Palestinian ones?

Another Terror Tunnel Work Accident in Gaza

Work accident.  

Essam Ketnana , a 23 year old member of the Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas was killed on Friday when a terror tunnel he was working in collapsed.

Hamas continues to squander international aid rebuilding its network of terror tunnels, while hundreds of families remain homeless.

From the Palestine Information Center:

Member of Hamas's political bureau Khalil al-Hayya said his Movement would never stop making military preparations and digging more tunnels to confront the Israeli occupation in any coming battle.

"The soldiers of al-Qassam Brigades will continue day and night to dig more tunnels, which have become the greatest weapon to vanquish the occupation," Hayya stated during his participation on Friday afternoon in the funeral of Isam Ketnani, who died earlier on the same day in a tunnel collapse.

"The occupation's blockade will only strengthen our resilience and steadfastness," the Hamas official stressed.

Essam's martyrdom photo.