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Last update - 20:11 11/08/2008
Hamas summer school graduates now ready for battle with Israel
By The Associated Press
Tags: Gaza Strip, Hamas, Israel

Youths leaped through fiery hoops as gunfire echoed in an action-packed graduation ceremony for a Hamas summer camp aimed at preparing the youngsters for battle against Israel.

About 200 teens dressed in the uniforms of the Hamas military wing showed off their new skills Sunday in a sandy, ramshackle stadium in the eastern Shejaiyeh area of Gaza City. The goal of the Hamas camp was clear - train the youth in military tactics and impart the militant Islamic ideology that has characterized Hamas.

A truce that began June 19, halting Palestinian rocket barrages and Israeli reprisal raids, provided the calm for the camp to proceed unhindered.
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Some of the drills in the final event were the same as those seen at graduation ceremonies for Palestinian police and security forces.

The youths leaped through hoops set on fire and summersaulted over the backs of others as older Hamas militants fired rifles. Random small bombs were also detonated in the sandy field.

An older youth lay on the ground as a minivan drove over him - the tire rolling over the youth's body to cheers and gasps by hundreds of onlookers. He later smashed concrete plates set on fire with a quick snap of his hand. Other youths also smashed concrete blocks piled on the youth's body, as organizers set a small fire nearby, increasing the pressure.

A black-suited trio sung strident pro-Hamas music as the youths back-flipped off scaffolding into a pool of water below, held onto a rope to glide across a metal cable fixed above the ground, and leaped off wooden bars, a few landing in a smoldering fire pit lit below them - all while bearded gunmen fired their assault rifles in the air and around the youths' feet.

They later lined up breathing heavily and standing still as khaki-clad camp leaders walked sternly among them.

"They are tomorrow's leaders!" thundered Khalil Hayyeh, a senior Hamas leader.

Last summer Hamas expelled its Fatah rivals and was busy with setting up its government in the coastal territory instead of running summer camps like this one. Now the truce has provided quiet.

"There's no doubt that the stability and calm has created a good atmosphere that has allowed us to make more summer camps, and oversee the youths," said Ismail Ridwan in a telephone interview to The Associated Press.

The Hamas legislator said when he was a child, Hamas was not able to hold camps because of Israel's occupation of the Gaza Strip. Israel pulled out in 2005 but still controls Gaza's borders and has imposed a blockade on Hamas-ruled Gaza.

Israel has charged that the Hamas camps teach the youths to hate the Jewish state. Hamas is committed to the destruction of the Jewish state. "That has nothing to do with the camps, the hatred of Israel comes from (Israel's) occupation, which burdens our hearts," Ridwan said.
Youths leaped through fiery hoops as gunfire echoed in an action-packed graduation ceremony for a Hamas summer camp aimed at preparing the youngsters for battle against Israel.

About 200 teens dressed in the uniforms of the Hamas military wing showed off their new skills Sunday in a sandy, ramshackle stadium in the eastern Shejaiyeh area of Gaza City. The goal of the Hamas camp was clear - train the youth in military tactics and impart the militant Islamic ideology that has characterized Hamas.

A truce that began June 19, halting Palestinian rocket barrages and Israeli reprisal raids, provided the calm for the camp to proceed unhindered.

Some of the drills in the final event were the same as those seen at graduation ceremonies for Palestinian police and security forces.

The youths leaped through hoops set on fire and summersaulted over the backs of others as older Hamas militants fired rifles. Random small bombs were also detonated in the sandy field.

An older youth lay on the ground as a minivan drove over him - the tire rolling over the youth's body to cheers and gasps by hundreds of onlookers. He later smashed concrete plates set on fire with a quick snap of his hand. Other youths also smashed concrete blocks piled on the youth's body, as organizers set a small fire nearby, increasing the pressure.

A black-suited trio sung strident pro-Hamas music as the youths back-flipped off scaffolding into a pool of water below, held onto a rope to glide across a metal cable fixed above the ground, and leaped off wooden bars, a few landing in a smoldering fire pit lit below them - all while bearded gunmen fired their assault rifles in the air and around the youths' feet.

They later lined up breathing heavily and standing still as khaki-clad camp leaders walked sternly among them.

"They are tomorrow's leaders!" thundered Khalil Hayyeh, a senior Hamas leader.

Last summer Hamas expelled its Fatah rivals and was busy with setting up its government in the coastal territory instead of running summer camps like this one. Now the truce has provided quiet.

"There's no doubt that the stability and calm has created a good atmosphere that has allowed us to make more summer camps, and oversee the youths," said Ismail Ridwan in a telephone interview to The Associated Press.

The Hamas legislator said when he was a child, Hamas was not able to hold camps because of Israel's occupation of the Gaza Strip. Israel pulled out in 2005 but still controls Gaza's borders and has imposed a blockade on Hamas-ruled Gaza.

Israel has charged that the Hamas camps teach the youths to hate the Jewish state. Hamas is committed to the destruction of the Jewish state. "That has nothing to do with the camps, the hatred of Israel comes from (Israel's) occupation, which burdens our hearts," Ridwan said.

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      1.   Bomb the camp 09:24  |  James Meeker 11/08/08
      2.   Hamas campers 09:54  |  Ralph 11/08/08
      3.   no Matter what, just say PEACE!! 10:00  |  Shaun 11/08/08
      4.   They dont need Islam to hate Israel 10:12  |  Fritz T. 11/08/08
      5.   FRITZ T.They just want to obliterate Israel by Islam 10:52  |  PETER SM 11/08/08
      6.   MAYBE ONE DAY..... 11:02  |  Brant 11/08/08
      7.   Only lacking Jim Jones Kool aid 12:07  |  Ilan 11/08/08
      8.   Is This what HAMAS CAMPS teach their youth? 13:28  |  Dagma 11/08/08
      9.   Hamas Hatred does not stem from the Occupation only 14:26  |  Dolly. 11/08/08
      10.   How sweet 15:04  |  Chris Linthwaite 11/08/08
      11.   Every Army is alike 15:12  |  Ralph is back 11/08/08
      12.   The Holy Quran Praise Israel!HERE IT IS! 15:50  |  Neil Golan 11/08/08
      13.   #10 Linthwaite....so sure of everything 15:59  |  Lynn 11/08/08
      14.   mentality of a cockroach. 60years trying the same thing 16:03  |  JP 11/08/08
      15.   Chris 16:06  |  george 11/08/08
      16.   to Cris the bigot 16:09  |  JP 11/08/08
      17.   #13 Lynn re Linthwaite 16:16  |  H 11/08/08
      18.   LINTHWAITE No outsiders can enter Yeshivas . 16:30  |  PETER SM 11/08/08
      19.   In Israel the students also learn The Holy Quran? 16:32  |  Iman Naji 11/08/08
      20.   Truce for preparing its attacks on Israel 16:48  |  Brod 11/08/08
      21.   Bomb the camp??? 16:53  |  Boris 11/08/08
      22.   Win the war against terror. 17:00  |  Jean Van Daem 11/08/08
      23.   yeshiva teaching is not secret 17:11  |  jackie 11/08/08
      24.   Gentle reminder 17:14  |  Michael II 11/08/08
      25.   #21 Why would thatbe? 17:15  |  Michael II 11/08/08
      26.   Linthwaite 17:22  |  Raymond 11/08/08
      27.   Totally agree with #1: Bomb the camp, don`t look back. 17:23  |  Mark 11/08/08
      28.   THIS IS PROOF THEY DON`T VALUE LIFE;THEY PROMOTE DEATH; IT`S ALL 17:25  |  glenna 11/08/08
      29.   why is this terrorist camp not bombed? 17:30  |  frenz 11/08/08
      30.   stop pal child abuse, contra international law 17:31  |  frenz 11/08/08
      31.   When The Bombs fall We Will See Who Is ready For Battle 17:32  |  Dish It Out 11/08/08
      32.   Young Hamas campers. 17:35  |  David Nigel Braham 11/08/08
      33.   Pathetic Brainwashed and hypnotized youth 17:51  |  Sumayah 11/08/08
      34.   Chris Lightweight made quite a fool of himself: again 18:14  |  x 11/08/08
      35.   # 10 Chris Linthwaite’s profound knowledge of Jewish faith 18:57  |  Darth Zaider (Ed) 11/08/08
      36.   Haaretz censors more antiHamas comments. 19:10  |  Palestiniansareamyth 11/08/08
      37.   SAVAGES! 19:11  |  Palestiniansareamyth 11/08/08
      38.   For all those who responded to me 19:44  |  Chris Linthwaite 11/08/08
      39.   lightweight brain 20:07  |  x-ray 11/08/08
      40.   #38, Chris,,,how dense are you? 20:14  |  DR 11/08/08
      41.   To Chris L 20:25  |  Ben 11/08/08
      42.   #40 DR of Florida 20:36  |  Chris Linthwaite 11/08/08
      43.   #39 x ray 20:39  |  Chris Linthwaite 11/08/08
      44.   Linthwaite 21:52  |  x-ray 11/08/08
      45.   The Geneva Convention prohibits child soldiers 22:00  |  American Attorney 11/08/08
      46.   Hamas Camp 22:12  |  mikeelma 11/08/08
      47.   Sad, But Necessary Until... 22:51  |  Gray 11/08/08
      48.   linthwaite hate`s jews 22:53  |  odles 11/08/08
      49.   #44 x-ray 22:56  |  Chris Linthwaite 11/08/08
      50.   My ribs hurt I`m laughing so hard 22:59  |  Gilles 11/08/08
      51.   Ben of Boston 23:15  |  Chris Linthwaite 11/08/08
      52.   13 Lynn - Shouldn`t be Unexpected 23:18  |  Mark of Lewiston 11/08/08
      53.   Chris Linthwaite What do we Israelis teach our children? 00:43  |  Gil 12/08/08
      54.   Linthwaite 48 again 01:50  |  ChanahS 12/08/08
      55.   Gilles - no laughing matter 01:54  |  ChanahS 12/08/08
      56.   #54 ChanahS 02:51  |  Chris Linthwaite 12/08/08
      57.   #55 Chanah S I agree 02:56  |  Paul Wood 12/08/08
      58.   Iman Naji #19 03:06  |  Brod 12/08/08
      59.   Kids are just so darn cute, aren`t they? 03:10  |  natan 12/08/08
      60.   Gil, here`s your answer 03:10  |  noor 12/08/08
      61.   Does The IDF Train ? 03:35  |  Tod Zuckerman 12/08/08