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Hamas says its armed wing controls situation in Gaza Strip

According to Osama Hamdan, Israeli troops "collect weapons and military equipment on the battlefield and place them in medical facilities to justify their statements"

CAIRO, November 14. /TASS/. Ezzedeen Al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas’ armed wing, is controlling the situation in the Gaza Strip, Osama Hamdan, a Hamas senior official, said on Tuesday.

"We [Hamas leadership] are stating that everything is all right with [Palestinian] resistance units and Ezzedeen Al-Qassam Brigades. They control the situation on the battlefield in the Gaza Strip," the Al Jazeera television channel quoted him as saying.

He invited international organizations and humanitarian groups to visit medical facilities to make sure that there are no weapons or secret tunnels there.

According to Hamdan, Israeli troops "collect weapons and military equipment on the battlefield and place them in medical facilities to justify their statements."

In his words, it is Israel’s government who hamper the release of hostages held by Hamas. "The Israeli side has violated all the agreements on prisoner exchange," he said, adding that it is necessary "to double pressure on the [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu government" to ensure the release of hostges.