Hamas chief claims inflicting 'painful effects' on Israel

By Mohammad Majid

GAZA CITY, Palestine (AA) – The chief of Hamas resistance movement Friday said his movement and other resistance groups in Gaza have hit Israel hard that "will leave painful effects on Israel and its future."

“The resistance groups stood united and hit the [Israeli] enemy with hard strikes that will leave deep effects on the [Israeli] entity, its society, its security and military institutions and its future on this blessed land [Palestine],” Ismail Haniyeh said in a televised speech.

An Egyptian-brokered cease-fire between the Palestinian resistance groups and Israel came into effect at 2 a.m. Friday (2300GMT Thursday) to end the 11 days of fighting.

Haniyeh said Gaza defended Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood in occupied East Jerusalem where families were threatened with eviction orders.

"The resistance has a national issue which is liberating Palestine and the [Palestinian] detainees and the return [of Palestinian refugees],” Haniyeh added.

The death toll from the Israeli attacks on the besieged Gaza Strip has risen to 243, including 66 children and 39 women, the Palestinian Health Ministry said on Friday.

At least 1,910 people have been injured, the ministry said in a statement.

The Israeli military has carried out airstrikes across the Gaza Strip since May 10, leaving behind a massive trail of destruction across the seaside territory.

*Ahmed Asmar contributed to this report from Ankara