Two terrorists released in the Gilad Schalit exchange pledged to continue their jihad, the Middle East Media Research Institute's (MEMRI) Palestinian Media Studies Project reports.
In an interview posted online Oct. 19 and translated by MEMRI, Ahlam Tamimi expressed no regrets for her role in the suicide bombing of an Israeli restaurant. "This is the path. I dedicated myself to Jihad for the sake of Allah, and Allah granted me success," she said. "You know how many casualties there were [in the 2001 attack on the Sbarro pizzeria]? This was made possible by Allah."
Tamimi was serving 16 life sentences before she was released, one of hundreds of terrorists exchanged for Israeli soldier Gilad Schalit, who was kidnapped by Hamas five years ago.
Similarly, Muhammad Abu Ataya told Al-Quds TV of Lebanon last week that he was not deterred by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's warnings to hold accountable any released prisoner who returns to terrorism.
"He can make as many warning as he likes. His warning and threats will not deter us from continuing the journey of resistance, on which we embarked decades ago," Ataya said. He also declared that he had been imprisoned for 16 life sentences for "killing spies and traitors" and "going after the herd of settlers and the Israeli army," actions which he still supported.
Hamas' threats to continue the "resistance" and suicide bombings have also been repeated elsewhere in the Arab world. Saudi cleric Awad al-Qarni offered $100,000 as a reward for the kidnapping of Israeli soldiers, arguing that if Hamas could exchange one soldier for 1,000 prisoners, six additional Israelis would result in the release of all Palestinians in Israeli jails.
To fuel its terror, Hamas has also taken advantage of supplies of Libyan weapons which have become abundant since civil war rocked the North African country. Israeli daily Haaretz reports that Hamas has acquired relatively sophisticated Russian anti-aircraft missile, which were looted from Libyan storehouses during the chaos. This has prompted Israeli concern and motivated the United States to insist on strict arms controls from the new Libyan government.