Hamas downplays Israeli ‘psychological war’

GAZA - Gaza-based Hamas leader Ismail Haniya Saturday rejected fears that Israel might attempt a new attack on the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip, similar to the three-week offensive waged in December 2008-January 2009.

Addressing a mass wedding ceremony for 70 grooms who were wounded and disabled in the war nearly two years ago, Haniya said: “The Israeli hints to wage another war on the Gaza Strip are just a psychological war that aims at breaking the determination of the Palestinian people and the men of resistance.”

Around 1,400 Palestinians and 10 Israelis were killed during the war, which ended with an undeclared ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. More than 5,000 Palestinians were wounded.

“I don’t think that there is a war knocking at our doors because the Israeli enemy was taught tough a great lesson,” Haniya said.

In recent weeks, small militant groups have been launching homemade rockets from the Gaza Strip toward southern Israel, similar to the activity that Israel said motivated its 2008 attack. In response to the latest rocket fire, Israeli warplanes have carried out limited retaliatory airstrikes on specific targets.