Hamas leader addresses Qatar rally amid Gaza fighting, vows to ramp up attacks

The leader of Hamas says terrorist groups in the Gaza Strip will not retreat in the face of the strong Israeli retaliation to massive rocket fire from the coastal enclave, warning that their fighters still haven’t used all the force at their disposal.

Ismail Haniyeh speaks tonight during a rally attended by hundreds in the gas-rich nation of Qatar. He says that “resistance is the shortest road to Jerusalem” and that Palestinians will not accept anything less than a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital.

Moments ago, chief of Hamas political bureau, Ismail Haniyeh, addressing an enormous crowd in Doha, Qatar. pic.twitter.com/FdLQfpKNFE

— Arwa Ibrahim (@arwaib) May 15, 2021

He adds that “the Zionist enemy struck Gaza, flattened towers and carried out massacres,” thinking that this will make militant groups retreat. He says that as the Israeli attacks escalate, “the resistance will increase [its force] to a higher level.”

Haniyeh also says that despite the fact that Gaza has been under siege for nearly 15 years — to prevent arms from reaching terror groups — these same organizations will not retreat.

Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.