13 February 2001

In the name of Allah the most gracious the most Merciful

Press Release
On the escalation of terrorism and assassination against our Mujahid people

A new cycle of intensified terrorism is being waged against our Mujahid people along the confrontations arenas confronted by self-defense in face of the brutal Zionist enemy. A new and continuous terrorist scheme is being hatched aimed at quelling and stopping the intifada and to imposing conditions of an oppressive settlement on our people through agreement and coordination between symbols of Zionist terrorism Sharon and Barak and through understandings reached by the Likud in line with the formation of a coalition government.

The savage massacre perpetrated by the Zionist enemy in Khan Younis and the Mawasi area, in which more than 100 people were wounded, other than destroying houses and property then the terrorist assassination of martyr Masoud Ayyad from the force-17 furnished additional proof to savagery of the occupation and its aggressive plans against our people without any distinction.

The Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, affirms that the policy of indiscriminate torching and cowardly assassinations will not deter our people from persisting along the road of intifada and struggle with all forms. Our people that resisted all aggressive and terrorist campaigns over the past century on the land of Palestine and organized one revolution after the other and one uprising after the other smashing on their way oppressive and arrogant symbols, are capable of indulging in the battle until achieving the goals of defeating occupation and returning to their lands from which they were forcibly ejected.

This stage, where the usurping enemy is preparing to launch more murders and terrorism, calls on our people to be prepared to shoulder their great responsibility. It necessitates providing all requirements for steadfastness and resistance in addition to arming those capable of using arms within framework of continuous resistance.

We urge all Arab and Islamic peoples to act swiftly in support of our people in their Jihad and intifada. We ask them to form various pressure groups against the Zionist enemy so as to halt its terrorism and aggression. We also call on all world countries to end the conspiracy of keeping silent vis-à-vis the enemy crimes.

We are sure of Allah’s victory for He is the One capable of annihilating our enemy and make us govern the land of Palestine … that of Islam and Muslims … occupation and tyranny will definitely end.

And it is a Jihad until either victory or martyrdom

The Islamic Resistance Movement

Hamas – Palestine

13 February 2001