Islamic Jihad threatens Israel with fires of hell

KHAN YUNES (AFP) - The Palestinian group Islamic Jihad on Saturday threatened to unleash "the fires of hell" on Israel, as it staged a military parade in the south of the Islamist-ruled Gaza Strip.

"We will unleash the fires of hell if the Zionist enemy continues its crimes," said the group's military chief Abu Hamzeh after the parade by around 800 Islamic Jihad members, an AFP journalist reported.

"We're getting ready for the next round," he added, saying "the Zionist enemy will have neither peace nor security while it occupies our land."

Abu Hamzeh said his group had "hundreds of rockets" ready to launch at southern Israel.

Khader Habib, a political leader in the group, said Islamic Jihad "will not rest until we have liberated all of Palestine," referring to the movement's aim to create a Palestinian state in Israel's place.

Earlier the fighters staged exercises using assault rifles rocket-propelled grenades and machine guns. The parade took place on the site of the former Jewish settlement of Gush Katif, which was evacuated when Israel withdrew settlers and forces from the Gaza Strip in August 2005.