Hamas Recruited Thousands For Army
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Courtesy of: The World Tribune
Tuesday, March 7, 2006

Gaza City--Hamas sources said a Hamas Army was established in 2005 in wake of the Israeli unilateral withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and has formed units in cities throughout the area.

The sources said thousands of Palestinians have already been recruited into the military force which has as its mission to destroy Israel and replace it with an Islamic State.

The army has been based on Hamas's Izzeddin Kassam military wing, Middle East Newsline reported.

A senior commander in Izzeddin Kassam told the Palestinian Newspaper Dunya Al Watan that Hamas has established units in every major city and refugee camp in the Gaza Strip.

The training was designed to last four months, the commander, identified as Abu Huzaifa, said. The first month has consisted of basic training, with the remainder of the course comprising special operations as well as unit maneuvers.

Abu Huzaifa said the Palestinian candidates were taught firearms training, rappeling buildings and outposts, launching kassam class, short-range missiles and infiltrating enemy bases.

He said the instructors were Hamas fighters who had been trained abroad. Hamas has been trained in such countries as Iran, Lebanon, Sudan and Syria.

The Hamas Army has been commanded by the Izzeddin Kassam Brigades.

Abu Huzaifa said the army also contained an Intelligence unit to warn against Israeli strikes.

He said recruits have been trained to deploy in strategic locations of the Gaza Strip and provide reconnaissance of Israeli ground, air and artillery units.

The army has also overseen the development of new weapons. The sources said this included extended-range kassam rockets and bombs.

The sources said Hamas has already developed a system to quickly mobilize thousands of fighters. They said the fighters would wage fierce resistance to any Israeli attempt to capture the Gaza Strip.