Hamas leader denies downing Israeli warplane during aggression on Gaza

Deputy Chairman of Hamas Politburo Dr. Moussa Abu Marzouq on Tuesday refuted reports that Izz Eddin Al-Qassam Brigades, the miliary wing of Hamas movement, shot down an Israeli fighter jet during the aggression on Gaza Strip in mid-November. "The anti-aircraft missile, fired by the Brigades' fighters, hit the fuel tank of the Israeli plane which came down while the plane survived the attack, " he said. Abu Marzouq, now on a visit to Gaza Strip since Friday, made the remarks in an interview with the Hamas-run Al-Aqsa satellite TV station tonight in response to reports that the Brigades downed an aircraft on November 17, three days after the start of the Israeli "Operation Pillar of Defense" against the Strip. He affirmed Hamas resolve to seize every chance for getting all kinds of weapons in order to be able to deter the Jewish stage from launching any aggression in the future. During the operation which lasted between November 14 and 21 Izz Eddin Al-Qassam Brigades fighters said, and the Israeli army admitted later, that they managed to shot down an Israeli drone.