GAZA, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) -- A senior Hamas official Friday called on the Palestinian Authority to withdraw its recognition of Israel in response to the U.S. Middle East peace plan, known as the Deal of the Century.
The Palestinians "should upgrade the stage of all types of the comprehensive resistance to topple the U.S. deal," Khalil al-Hayyah, deputy chief of Hamas, told prayers at a mosque in Gaza city.
"Everyone should know that there are strong men in Palestine who know how to defend their land with all their powers," said al-Hayyah.
Hamas and other militant groups "have prepared an army and promoted its arms to kick the occupier (Israel) out of our land," he added.
Earlier in the day, Israeli war jets carried out a series of intensive airstrikes on Hamas' military positions in the southern Gaza Strip town of Rafah, according to Palestinian and Israeli sources.
An Israeli army spokesman said the airstrikes came in response to the Thursday night's rocket attacks in Israel, while Hamas security officials said severe damage was caused to farms in the area despite no reported injury.
It is worth noting that a series of calm understandings, brokered by Egypt, the United Nations and Qatar, were reached last year between Hamas, ruler of Gaza, and Israel.
