Hamas Leader: “Victory Is Coming, God Willing”

05/01/2009 Dr. Mahmoud al-Zahar, a senior Hamas official, vowed on Monday that the resistance fighters were heading to victory against Israel, saying “Victory is coming, God willing”.

In his first appearance since the start of Israel's massive offensive against the Gaza Strip on December 27, Zahar said in a television address broadcast on Hamas's Al-Aqsa Channel, "The rockets that the resistance fighters are launching have broken Israel's perception of security."

"The problem isn't the rockets, but the occupation. I call to the all the Palestinian to aid those in need as much as possible. We must be patient until we reach victory. Allah helps us," said al-Zahar.

Earlier, Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak on Monday defended Israel's incursion into the Gaza Strip, claiming any nation seeking to survive would have take the same action.

In remarks broadcast on Israeli radio stations, Barak told members of the political-security cabinet that many of the military's goals had yet to be achieved. "The operation is continuing as planned," he said. "Gaza is partially besieged and IDF forces have reached the targets assigned to them.

The aim of the operation was to change the political and security situation in the south, Barak said, adding that he was certain that Israel would end its operation in Gaza "with an upper hand,” and that Israel was engaged in diplomatic contacts with international officials regarding the operation.

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