Palestinian armed wing calls for attacks on Israel

GAZA CITY, Palestine

The armed wing of Gaza-based resistance faction Islamic Jihad called on Palestinians Friday to attack Israeli military checkpoints.

"We call for comprehensive and direct conflict as long as the opportunities are available and to embark on the path of fighting and freedom," Abu Hamza, the spokesperson of the al-Quds Brigades, said on Twitter.

In his post, he called on Palestinian residents to take up weapons and attack Israeli checkpoints and settlements.

“Heroic operations in Jerusalem and the West Bank are a response of our people, emphasized with blood and weapons, that they are against the ‘deal of the century’ and the Judaization of the holy places,” he said.

The so-called "deal of the century," announced by U.S. President Donald Trump on Jan. 28, refers to Jerusalem as “Israel’s undivided capital” and recognizes Israeli sovereignty over large parts of the West Bank.

The plan drew widespread criticism from the Arab world and was rejected by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), which urged "all member states not to engage with this plan or to cooperate with the U.S. administration in implementing it in any form."

The leaders of the Muslim bloc have reiterated the need for a just and comprehensive solution that protects the rights of the Palestinians.