Hamas Deputy Chief Saleh al-Arouri said Saturday that the group launched "an all-out battle" with today's attack on Israel.
"This is not a [hit-and-run] operation; we started an all-out battle. We expect fighting to continue and the fighting front to expand. We have one prime target: our freedom and the freedom of our holy sites," he told Al Jazeera.
Al-Arouri asserted that Palestinians have the right to freedom, to fight against the Israeli occupation, and to preserve their holy sites. "We will continue to fight until we are rewarded with victory, freedom, and independence," he said.
