Mahmoud al-Zahar
Mahmoud al-ZaharReuters

Senior Hamas official Mahmoud Al-Zahar declared on Tuesday that the group would build a seaport and airport in Gaza, even without permission.

Al-Zahar hinted that any construction materials brought into Gaza for the purpose of its reconstruction will also be used for the construction of the seaport and airport.

"We will build our airport and our seaports and we will not ask for anyone's permission, and whoever will attack our ports and our airport we will attack their own ports and will once again attack again their airport," he said.

Al-Zahar, who spoke hours after a new long-term ceasefire in Gaza was announced, claimed that during the last round of fighting Hamas was able to topple Israel’s national security strategy by proving that Hamas is has the power to deter and not Israel.

He also called to reconstruct the Gaza war in Judea, Samaria and Jerusalem and by this to prepare for “the liberation of Palestine”.

One of Hamas’s demands for a ceasefire was that a seaport and airport be built in Gaza. Both demands are seen as a security threat that would allow Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorists to re-arm.

According to the contents of the ceasefire agreement, the Hamas demand for a Gaza sea and airport will be discussed in Cairo within the next month