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Hamas using ceasefire to boost rocket production: Reports
Jerusalem, July 07: The military wing of the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas has taken advantage of the truce to increase its production of Qassam rockets, Israeli media reported today.
Jerusalem, July 07: The military wing of the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas has taken advantage of the truce to increase its production of Qassam rockets, Israeli media reported today.
According to several Israeli dailies and public radio, the Ezzedin al-Qassam brigades has been rebuilding its arsenal since Israeli troops partially pulled out of the Gaza Strip a week ago.
The Qassam rockets manufactured by the group have an estimated range of 12 kilometres and carry a charge of five kilograms but the home-made missiles are very inaccurate and have never caused any casualties.
On June 29, the Israeli army withdrew from most areas in the Gaza Strip it had reoccupied in a bid to prevent rocket attacks and handed over security control to the Palestinian services as part of confidence building measures under the US-backed Middle East peace plan, known as the "roadmap."
Five Palestinian militant groups, including Hamas and Islamic jihad, also recently called a halt to anti-Israeli attacks, but laid down a series of conditions including Israel's release of all Palestinian prisoners.
But Israeli tourism minister Benny Elon told public radio today that "terrorist organisations had unilaterally declared a truce only to spare themselves from being dismantled, as required by the roadmap".
The Qassam rockets manufactured by the group have an estimated range of 12 kilometres and carry a charge of five kilograms but the home-made missiles are very inaccurate and have never caused any casualties.
On June 29, the Israeli army withdrew from most areas in the Gaza Strip it had reoccupied in a bid to prevent rocket attacks and handed over security control to the Palestinian services as part of confidence building measures under the US-backed Middle East peace plan, known as the "roadmap."
Five Palestinian militant groups, including Hamas and Islamic jihad, also recently called a halt to anti-Israeli attacks, but laid down a series of conditions including Israel's release of all Palestinian prisoners.
But Israeli tourism minister Benny Elon told public radio today that "terrorist organisations had unilaterally declared a truce only to spare themselves from being dismantled, as required by the roadmap".
The international blueprint calls for an end to the violence, a complete freeze on settlement activity and paves the way for the creation of an independent Palestinian state by 2005.
Bureau Report