Hamas already plotting to nab more Jews

By Aaron Klein
Published October 20, 2011 at 1:00am

Image of kidnapped Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit on Hamas poster

On the very day Israel and Hamas agreed to a prisoner exchange, Hamas took a formal decision to kidnap more Israeli soldiers, according to a top leader of the Islamist group's so-called military wing.

Abu Abdullah of Hamas' Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades told WND that last Thursday, the Hamas "military wing" appointed a new team to draft plans to kidnap more Israeli soldiers.

Israel and Hamas reached a deal that was finalized Sunday for the release of Gilad Shalit, kidnapped by Hamas in 2006, in exchange for the freedom of some 1,027 Palestinian terrorists in Israeli jails.

Shalit is now back in Israel after the deal was carried out Tuesday.

On Sunday, WND reported the chief of Hamas in the Gaza Strip stated in an interview the exchange emboldens his group to kidnap more Israelis to extract further concessions from the Jewish state.

Mahmoud al-Zahar was asked in a radio interview whether the exchange demonstrates the value of nabbing Israeli soldiers.

The Hamas chieftain replied: "The Palestinian Authority in Ramallah negotiated for many years, and they failed to release anybody. Now by the kidnapping (of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit) and the release, the Palestinian people succeeded to set free this number (of prisoners) by this way."

He continued, "I think it's good for the Israelis to think thoroughly, solve the problem smoothly and not to give a chance for the repetition of this event. It is wise for the Israelis to schedule the release of the rest of the Palestinians."