Hamas said on Sunday that its military wing plans to kidnap IDF soldiers if Israel decides to conduct a large-scale ground-invasion of the Gaza Strip. Spokesperson of the Popular Resistance Committees, identified as 'Abu Abir,' made the belligerent statements in response to IDF Chief of Staff Lt. -Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi's suggestion earlier Sunday to begin a large-scale ground operation in the Gaza Strip. Ashkenazi, speaking at Sunday's cabinet meeting, said that sending in ground forces was the only means to stop the firing of Kassam rockets into Israel.
In an interview with A Shams radio station, the spokesman said "we are waiting to meet the enemy in Gaza so that we can kidnap more soldiers. If the enemy comes into Gaza, he should be afraid, his Merkava tanks will turn to rubble."
Meanwhile, a top Egyptian security official launched a scathing attack on Palestinian armed groups on Sunday for continuing to fire rockets at Israel and warned that the Palestinians will pay a heavy price if the IDF invades the Gaza Strip.
The statements by Gen. Burhan Hammad of the Egyptian General Intelligence Force drew sharp criticism from some of the armed groups in Gaza.
Elsewhere, Syria-based Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal also announced that his movement was planning to kidnap more Israeli soldiers, with the intention of trading them for Palestinians held in Israeli jails.
Addressing supporters in a Palestinian refugee camp near Damascus, he said: "Hamas is determined to release all the Palestinian prisoners, whether by capturing more Israeli soldiers or through other means.