Israel engaged in a rare Twitter exchange on Wednesday with Hamas’ military wing, saying the Jewish state is “here to stay,” The Wall Street Journal first reported.
Israel Defense Forces spokesman Peter Lerner posted a generalized tweet early Wednesday as part of a series of tweets with the hashtag #TerrorDoesntPay.
“The IDF will continue to seek out those that attempt to undermine and defy our way of life. #TerrorDoesntPay,” he said.
That’s when an account belonging to Hamas’ military wing, the Al Qassam Brigades, replied, vowing to continue its “holy way of struggle.”
“Al Qassam Brigades will continue its holy way of struggle & resistance till the liberation of whole Palestine. #Zionists,” Hamas said.
The exchange, however, appeared to come to a sudden end after Hamas’ account tweeted a picture at Mr. Lerner of an image appearing to depict a deceased Palestinian child under a pile of rubble, supposedly a result of an Israeli strike.
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“Israel is here to stay,” Mr. Lerner replied. “The IDF will continue to pursue the perpetrators of terror.”
Hamas responded: “We are in mission that aims at restoring our occupied land whatever the cost is.”
Mr. Lerner’s last message to Hamed read, “[O]ur mission is one of safeguarding human life, all human life.”
Hamas then responded with a photo of what it claimed was a deceased Palestinian child buried up to the neck in debris.
“Your mission is to bury the Palestinian children under the rubble of their houses,” the tweet read.
• Jessica Chasmar can be reached at jchasmar@washingtontimes.com.
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