The Hamas-led government says Israel will be held responsible for the consequences of the killing on Thursday night of the leader of the Popular Resistance Committees (PRC), Jamal Abu Samhadana, in southern Gaza Strip.

Israeli reconnaissance drones and Apache helicopters took part in an airstrike on a military training camp near the town of Rafah in southern Gaza Strip, killing Abu Samhadana and three others, witnesses and medics said.

Witnesses said the top leader of the group Abu Samhadana was in a meeting with other militants, including members of the PRC armed wing known as Salah al-Dein Brigades, in a military training camp when he was targeted.

Ghazi Hamad, spokesman on the Hamas-led government, told reporters after the killing that the Palestinian government mourned with sorrow and grieves the heroic leader and three others.

Hamad said in addition to being the top leader of the Popular Resistance Committees, Abu Samhadana is also the General Inspector of the Hamas-led Ministry of Interior Affairs.

"The government condemns this criminal action and the bloody manner that the government of occupation is behaving against our people. This government continues murder and killing especially in the Gaza Strip," said Hamad.

He added that the Palestinian government "reiterates that the Israeli government would be totally responsible for the outcome, the consequences and the reaction towards this crime and this awful massacre."

Thousands of Palestinians gathered in front of Abu Yousef al-Najjar Hospital in the town of Rafah and carried the body of Abu Samhadana on their shoulders through the town chanting revenge and death to Israel.

Source: Xinhua