“Gaza will be your graveyard”: Hamas issues threat to ‘Israeli’ leadership

Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, has issued a statement it says is directed to ‘Israel’s’ leadership, threatening to turn Gaza into a "graveyard" for ‘Israeli’ soldiers.

The group's statement was released as the ‘Israeli’ army prepares for a major assault into Gaza City, the territory’s largest urban center.

The statement warned that Gaza "will not be an easy meal for your cowardly army."

The group said its fighters are ready to send ‘Israeli’ soldiers "to hell" and that they have prepared an "army of martyrdom-seekers and thousands of ambushes and explosive devices."

"You are entering a harsh war of attrition that will cost you additional numbers of dead and prisoners," the statement said.

"We have trained our fighters to place explosives inside your vehicles, and your bulldozers will be distinct targets for our fighters and a reason to increase the number of prisoners we hold."

‘Israeli’ captives

The statement also issued a direct threat regarding the fate of the captives. "Your prisoners are distributed inside the neighborhoods of Gaza City, and we will not be careful with their lives as long as Netanyahu has decided to kill them."

The group warned that expanding the "criminal operation" means that ‘Israel’ will not get back any captives, "dead or alive," and that their fate "will be like that of Ron Arad."

Ron Arad was an ‘Israeli’ Air Force officer who has officially been classified as missing in action since October 1986.

Arad was lost on a mission over Lebanon and is believed to have been captured by the group Amal and later handed over to Hezbollah.