Jihad reserves right to retaliate against Israel

A senior leader of the Islamic Jihad ( Holy War) in Gaza said Tuesday that the resistance group reserved the right to retaliate against the Israeli offensive.

Khaled al-Batsh told reporters that the Zionist enemy hadn't stopped assassinations, raids or arrests, and that "we can't accept a unilateral truce."

The group had claimed a joint responsibility for firing eight homemade rockets from Gaza at the southern Israeli towns, with no casualties.

Israel Radio meanwhile reported that the Israeli army responded with several artillery shells at northern and southern Gaza Strip, where no injuries were reported among the Palestinians.

Palestinian security sources and residents reported Tuesday the Israeli troops arrested 20 Hamas and Jihad activists during a predawn raid on the West Bank areas.

The sources said that the Israeli army stormed the village of Qabatia near the northern West Bank city of Jenin and arrested 10 Islamic Jihad members.

The Israeli troops have escalated military operation in Qabatia since the Islamic Jihad suicide bomber Hassan Abu Zeid blew himself up in the Israeli coastal city of Hadera last week, killing five Israelis and wounding 30 others.

On Sunday night Israeli soldiers killed two Islamic Jihad activists during clashes in Qabatia, the hometown of Zeid.

Source: Xinhua