Hamas marks 30th anniversary of its founding with rally in Gaza

Hamas Chief Ismail Haniya recently called for a third intifada, following US recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital.

A Palestinian flag flies as Hamas supporters take part in a rally marking the 30th anniversary of Hamas' founding, in Gaza City.
Reuters

A Palestinian flag flies as Hamas supporters take part in a rally marking the 30th anniversary of Hamas' founding, in Gaza City.

Thousands of Palestinians gathered in Gaza City to mark the 30th anniversary of the founding of Hamas, one of the two major political parties in Palestine.

Hamas was founded in 1987 by Sheikh Ahmed Yassin and leaders of Palestine's Muslim Brotherhood after the beginning of the first intifada. The Hamas Charter affirmed in 1988 that the group was founded to liberate Palestine from the Israeli occupation. 

The organisation's chief, Ismail Haniya, recently called for a third intifada, following the United States' recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital.  

Buses brought in men, women and children brandishing Hamas' green flags or sporting green scarves to the al-Katiba Square for Thursday's rally.

TRT World's Mohammad Mansour reports from Gaza.

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Israel closes Gaza border crossings 

Israel announced the closure of its Gaza border crossings on Thursday in response to daily rocket fire from the enclave over the past week, after US President Donald Trump officially recognised Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, stoking Palestinian anger.

Israeli aircraft struck three facilities belonging to Hamas, the militant group that controls the Gaza Strip, before dawn on Thursday after the latest rocket attacks, Israel's military said.

Israel also said that said it targeted training camps and weapons storage compounds. Hamas usually evacuates such facilities when border tensions spike.

Two of the rockets fired by militants were intercepted by Israel's Iron Dome anti-missile system and a third exploded in an open area. There were no reports of casualties on either side of the border.

The military said in a statement that "due to the security events and in accordance with security assessments" Kerem Shalom crossing—the main passage point for goods entering the Gaza Strip, and the Erez pedestrian crossing—would be shut as of Thursday. It did not say how long the closure would last.

Some 15 rockets have been fired into southern Israel since Trump's announcement, but none of the projectiles have caused serious injury or damage.

The attacks have drawn Israeli air strikes that have killed two Palestinians. Two other Palestinians were killed in confrontations with Israeli troops during stone-throwing protests along the border.

In Istanbul on Wednesday, a summit of more than 50 Muslim countries condemned Trump's move and called on the world to respond by recognising East Jerusalem as the capital of Palestine.

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