Hamas to continue resisting Israel: Top official

By Gulsen Topcu

GAZA, Palestine (AA) - The Palestinian Hamas group has reiterated their commitment to the resistance and the principle of not recognizing Israel.

“On its foundation anniversary, Hamas reiterates its commitment to the unity and integrity of the Palestinian people, to resistance against the occupation, to not recognize Israel and to oppose normalization projects,” Maher Salah, the head of movement’s Diaspora Office, said in a statement.

Underlining that Hamas is committed to the unity of Jerusalem as a Palestinian city and rejects attacks on the Al-Aqsa Mosque with Judaization plans, Salah said that the blockade against Gaza should be lifted.

He also highlighted the importance of opposing the annexation plans of the West Bank, and the continuation of the works of the UN's aid agency to help Palestinian refugees, known as UNRWA.

Hamas was founded simultaneously with the First Intifada in 1987 by the leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood Organization (Ikhwan) in the Gaza Strip.

*Writing by Gozde Bayar