Hamas rally in Gaza celebrates Hizbollah 'victory'

Gaza, Aug 16: Thousands of flag-waving Hamas sympathisers took to the streets of Gaza city today to celebrate what they described as the great ''Hizbollah victory'' in the war between the guerrillas and Israel.

''We tell our Lebanese brothers, your victory is ours.

Hizbollah's victory is a victory for Hamas,'' senior Hamas politician Mushir al-Masri told the ecstatic crowd of some 5,000 demonstrators. Hamas is an Islamist group that leads the Palestinian government, The Israeli army says it killed more than 500 Hizbollah guerrillas, pushed them away from its border and severely reduced the effectiveness of the Shi'ite group by destroying hundreds of its rocket launchers and thousands of rockets.

Hizbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah claimed victory in the war, admitting to a much lower death toll among his fighters than Israel says. The group has vowed to continue resisting the presence of Israeli troops in south Lebanon.

Masri told the rally over loudspeakers that an Israeli soldier kidnapped by militants in June and two others held by Hizbollah would not be freed until prisoners held by Israel were released.

''The Zionist enemy has no choice but to agree to the conditions set by the resistance. It has no option but to submit to the reality the resistance has created,'' Masri said.

Israel launched an offensive in Gaza, its first large-scale ground operation there since quitting the coastal territory last year, after gunmen abducted corporal Gilad Shalit on June 25 in a cross-border raid.

The army's campaign has also been aimed at stopping militants firing rockets across the border.

Hamas is dedicated to destroying Israel and had carried out suicide bombings from 2000 until the beginning of 2005. Masri said Hamas would not soften its political stance.

Violence in Gaza had persisted during a month-long Israeli war with Hizbollah guerrillas in Lebanon where a ceasefire took effect on Monday.

Reuters