Gaza factions vow to end Israeli blockade, respond to military raids

Gaza-based Palestinian resistance factions have vowed an end to the continuation of the Israeli blockade against the coastal enclave.

In a statement on Friday, the factions' committee of military operations said "we will not allow the enemy to continue the unjust siege on our Palestinian people, who have the right to express by all appropriate means their rejection of the blockade", reports Xinhua news agency.

The Palestinian resistance has the right to respond to Israeli attacks as well as "its aggression against our people", said the statement.

Earlier in the day, the Islamic Hamas movement, that controls Gaza, said that the Palestinian resistance would not hesitate to battle with Israel "if the escalation and siege continue".

On Thursday night, Israel announced that it had detected seven rockets launched from the Gaza Strip into its southern territory, one of which hit a residential house in Sderot city.

In retaliation, Israeli warplanes launched a series of raids on the Gaza Strip targeting military sites belonging to Hamas.

The violence came amid weeks of tensions, which according to Palestinian and Israeli commentators were triggered by Israel's refusal to allow the transfer of Qatari money to the besieged Palestinian enclave.

--IANS

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