Hamas's top bombmaker released a video today taunting Israel over its withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and urging Palestinians to step up terror attacks against the Jewish state.
The man, identifying himself as fugitive bombmaker Mohammed Deif, described Israel's withdrawal from the Gaza Strip as a victory for armed resistance, rejected calls for his group to disarm, and vowed to continue attacks on Israel until the Jewish state is erased from the map.
"You are leaving Gaza today in shame," he said in comments directed toward Israel.
"Today you are leaving hell. But we promise you that tomorrow all Palestine will be hell for you, God willing." Israeli officials said the tape underscored the need by the Palestinian Authority to crack down on militants.
Palestinian officials said despite the comments, Hamas remains committed to a six-month-old cease-fire. With Palestinian legislative elections approaching in January, Hamas and Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah party are locked in a bitter struggle over who deserves credit for Israel's withdrawal from Gaza.
Israel removed the last of its 21 settlements in Gaza this week, and is expected to complete the pullout by early October. Hamas claims that years of suicide bombings and rocket attacks drove the Israelis out.
In the tape, Deif praised the armed struggle against Israel. "Without this jihad and this steadfastness, we did not achieve the liberation of the Gaza Strip," he said, adding that attacks should continue until Israel is eliminated.
In an open challenge to Mr Abbas, he also rejected calls to disarm, though he said differences between Palestinian groups should be resolved through peaceful dialogue. "We warn against touching these weapons, and want to keep them as an effective element to liberate the rest of our homeland," he said.
"We want to use dialogue to solve any differences in order to protect our Palestinian blood and our national achievement."
Deif, widely believed to be at the top of Israel's most-wanted list, is responsible for the deaths of dozens of Israelis in suicide bombings. He has survived at least two Israeli assassination attempts, most recently a 2002 missile strike in which he lost an eye.