Spokesman for terrorist group in Gaza urges militants to abduct soldiers for prisoner swaps, "whatever the cost."
By JPOST.COM STAFFMasked Hamas terrorist 311 R(photo credit: Ibraheem Abu Mustafa / Reuters)
Hamas's spokesman in Gaza's Khan Younis Hammad al-Ruqab called on Tuesday on Palestinians to kidnap Israeli soldiers to use as bargaining chips in prisoner exchanges, the Palestinian Ma'an news agency reported.According to the report, al-Ruqab said militant groups, particularly Hamas's al-Qassam Brigades, should abduct soldiers, "whatever the cost."In October, Israel released 1,027 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for kidnapped Israeli soldier Gilad Schalit.On Monday, Israel and Palestinian security prisoners signed an Egyptian-mediated deal to end a 28-day hunger strike by inmates.MK Danny Danon (Likud) slammed the deal on Tuesday, calling it a "mistake" and a "prize for terrorism."Speaking to Israel Radio, Danon said: "We will end up paying for this mistake," and added that the deal was "not worth the paper it is written on." Danon also condemned Israel for maintaining luxurious conditions for prison inmates, likening the jail system to a kindergarten.MK Isaac Herzog (Labor) also condemned the deal, saying that it served only to strengthen Hamas.The Almagor Terror Victims Association also criticized the agreements, saying that Israel gave in to terrorists' demands and threatening legal action against the government.In a press release, the organization's director Meir Indor said that the deal reflected that both the government and the Israel Prison Services are weak. Indor condemned the government for agreeing to release the bodies of terrorist, which he said will be used by the PA to create rallying points for terror.Indor also stated that the deal was setting a dangerous precedent, as it is the first time that Israel has signed an agreement with terrorist prisoners in Israeli jails and is also the first time a foreign entity (Egypt) has been able to intervene in internal Israeli affairs.
