Hamas terrorists in Gaza
Hamas terrorists in GazaFlash 90

Hamas issued a threat to Israel on Friday, warning that it will kidnap more Israeli soldiers in order to bring about the release of all Palestinian Authority Arab prisoners.

The terror group which controls Gaza made the threats in a statement posted on its website on the second anniversary of the release of Gilad Shalit.

Shalit, who was kidnapped by Hamas terrorists in 2006 and was held for more than five years, was released in October of 2011 in exchange for the release of over 1,000 terrorists who had been in prison in Israel, including many mass murderers.

Two years later, promised Hamas on Friday, "The resistance will continue until the enemy's arrogance and its perception that it is unbeatable come to an end.”

"If the enemy thinks it can root out the Palestinian resistance through terror and crimes and a siege - the Hamas resistance will act heroically to deter it," the group’s website declared.

“They think that Hamas has given up on the resistance but that is not so. The release of prisoners is still our top priority and we will take all measures to empty Israeli jails of Palestinian prisoners,” said Hamas

The organization stated that its people will not rest "until we release the last of our prisoners. Those who carried out the kidnapping and released the prisoners back then - deter Israel and undermine its security.”

The statement ended with a declaration that “resistance is the only way and the choice of the Palestinian people to isolate the Israeli occupation and bring about the release of the prisoners and all the holy places.”

In the two years that have passed since Shalit’s release, many of the terrorists who were freed in the deal have been re-arrested when they were discovered to have resumed terrorist activities.

Terrorists released in the Shalit deal were required to sign a document that forbids them from returning to terrorism but that has not stopped some of them from attempting to carry out terrorist attacks.

At least two members of Hamas's top policymaking body are terrorists released in the Shalit deal who are thus violating the agreement they signed.

(Arutz Sheva’s North American Desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Arutz Sheva articles, however, is Israeli time.)