Hamas reiterates right to resist Israeli assaults

By Nour Abu Aisha

GAZA CITY, Palestine (AA) - Palestinian resistance group Hamas has reiterated the right to resist any Israeli aggression on the Palestinian people.

"The resistance will exercise this right whenever the [Israeli] occupier assaults our people," Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem said in a statement on Tuesday.

The Israeli military launched a wave of airstrikes across the Gaza Strip on Monday following rocket fire from the enclave that injured seven Israelis north of Tel Aviv.

"Public support is the shield of the resistance against the Zionist [Israeli] war machine," Qassem said.

Hamas announced late Monday that Egypt had managed to secure a ceasefire between Israel and Gaza-based resistance factions.

While there was no comment from Egypt, several Israeli officials denied any ceasefire deal with Gaza-based factions.

On Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to "respond with great force" against Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip, following the rocket fire.

The Israeli army has reportedly deployed missile-defense batteries in several locations across the country while sending two additional infantry brigades to the Gaza-Israel buffer zone.

No Palestinian group has claimed responsibility for the rocket fire.