Hamas said Sunday that it would respond “with force” if the IDF kept attacking its positions. A Hamas spokesperson said that the increased missile fire on Israel over the weekend was “a first message to Israel. The opposition will not sit with folded hands” while Israel attacked its terror positions, and Hamas would “strike hard” if the IDF did not stop attacking it.
In an interview with Arab media, a Hamas official said Sunday that Israel was attempting to “take advantage of the quiet to blame us for smuggling weapons.” Israeli officials said he was apparently referring to Israel's seizure of the terror ship Victoria last week.