PALESTINIANS REMAIN LOYAL TO HAMAS DESPITE HARDSHIPS

Despite growing economic hardship in Gaza, the group can still draw on significant support from among the territory's 1.8 million people. (Photo:www.barenakedislam.com) — **Despite growing economic hardship in Gaza, Hamas can still draw on significant support from among the territory’s 1.8 million people.** (Photo:www.barenakedislam.com)

Gaza City, 12 Syawwal 1435/8 August 2014 (MINA) – Despite the destruction wreaked on the besieged Gaza Strip by the Israeli onslaught and all its concomitant hardships and sufferings, Palestinians remain loyal to the resistance movement, Hamas, Press TV reports.

“We are not afraid,” a Palestinian woman told Press TV, adding, “We are not sad about the houses that are destroyed.”

The Israeli attacks on Gaza’s population of over 1.8 million have worsened the already dire humanitarian situation in the blockaded coastal enclave, Press TV quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) as reporting, Friday.

The destruction in various neighborhoods in the blockaded territory is visible from miles away and the entire civilian infrastructure has been battered during weeks of the Israeli offensive.

“We are not going to let go of our resistance and we are supporting the resistance. We are standing beside the heroes who are defending us. We will never sacrifice our lives except for our homeland,” a Palestinian man told Press TV.

He further noted that the Israeli regime is “destroying our lives, killing our children, men and women,” adding that only the resistance can help the Palestinians survive.

“We support the resistance and will stay in our land,” another Palestinian man said.

On July 8, Israeli warplanes began pounding numerous sites in the Gaza Strip, demolishing houses and burying families under the rubble. Israeli troops also launched a ground invasion into the impoverished Palestinian territory on July 17.

The Israeli regime’s relentless attacks against the Gaza Strip left nearly 1,900 Palestinians dead, more than 430 of them children, and injured over 9,500 others.

A three-day humanitarian truce took effect at 8 a.m. (0500 GMT) Tuesday and Israeli troops withdrew from the coastal enclave. (T/E01/IR)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)