Hamas Announces 'Popular Army' after Al-Aqsa Clashes
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - Hamas announced the creation of a "popular army" in the Gaza Strip, saying it was ready for any future conflict with Israel, particularly over the flashpoint Al-Aqsa mosque compound.
At a ceremony at the Jabaliya refugee camp in the north of the devastated Palestinian territory, a spokesman for the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades -- the military arm of Hamas movement -- said 2,500 recruits would form "the first section of the popular army for the liberation of Al-Aqsa and of Palestine".
Mohammed Abu Askar, a Hamas official, said those older than 20 could sign up "to be prepared for any confrontation" with Israel.
Hamas and Israel fought a 50-day war earlier this year which resulted in the deaths of 2,140 Palestinians and 73 Israelis, and destroyed swathes of the Gaza strip.
Frequent clashes between Palestinian protesters and Israeli police occur around the Al-Aqsa mosque compound in occupied east Jerusalem, al-Quds.
Al-Quds has been witnessing months of violence with al-Aqsa mosque compound standing as a rallying point for Palestinian resistance to the Israeli attempts to take control of the holy site.
Abu Askar said the new force had been established "at a moment when the Al-Aqsa mosque is subject to serious Israeli violations".
Another Al-Qassam spokesman said "the people, arms and the tunnels are going well", in reference to Hamas's network of underground passages, AFP reported.
