Abu Imad al-Rifai also boasted that Palestinian fighters are capable of holding out against the Zionist occupiers for longer than the regime could politically sustain their ground incursion.
However, Rifai added in a Sunday interview with the Lebanese Daily Star that the Palestinian cause was still in danger of being undermined by Arab infighting and international interests.
Rifai further praised the Palestinian resistance for its “victory” against the Israeli army, and for putting up fierce resistance despite its limited resources.
“The current steadfastness will inevitably lead to significant gains for the Palestinian people, especially since we do not think that Israel can fight a long war of attrition, nor can it bear the losses incurred by its ground incursion into Gaza,” he said. “Due to the nature of Israeli society, casualties among soldiers sow terror in the hearts of settlers.”
Reiterating on the resistance determination to hold out against the Zionist aggression, Rifai further vowed “surprises” yet to be employed against the Israeli occupiers by resistance forces, including the use of drones.
He then insisted the Palestinian resistance, including Hamas, Islamic Jihad and Fatah, will not agree to a cease-fire until the eight-year siege of Gaza is entirely lifted.
With headquarters in Damascus, the Islamic Jihad is the second largest resistance group operating in Gaza.
“Field coordination between the Palestinian factions includes military and political cooperation,” he said, offering cautious praise for Fatah while expressing hope that the battle would take on a “national Palestinian” dimension rather than a factional one.
He also congratulated the Palestinian Authority for making “progress” by retreating from its previous position that the only option versus the Zionist occupier is to negotiation with the regime.
“We have won the battle of Gaza because for the first time in the Arab-Israeli conflict we have defeated the Israeli army on the ground, and for the first time all Israeli cities are within the range of the rockets and the threat affects all the occupied territories,” he said.
NTJ/MB