Hamas terrorists in Gaza
Hamas terrorists in GazaAbed Rahim Khatib/Flash 90

A senior member of Hamas boasted on Monday that the terrorist group was closer than ever to “liberating Jerusalem”.

Speaking with the Quds Press news agency, Hamas political bureau member Salah Bardawil said that the “Al-Quds Intifada”, as Hamas refers to the current terror wave, opened the gates to the liberation of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, adding that the intifada continues to escalate every day and efforts to stop it will fail.

Bardawil accused the international community taking a "pale" stand about the "occupation", and also claimed that some Arab states are collaborating with Israel. In addition, he claimed the Palestinian Authority is weak and faltering, and is unable to halt its security coordination with Israel.

"The Palestinians," he claimed, "are defending the religion which is above the nation and any issues of faith...our faith will not be deterred and those who rely on the fact that the siege and the killings would lead to our defeat are deluded."

The intifada, claimed Bardawil, "shows that the Palestinians are closer than ever to liberating Jerusalem from the occupation."

Throughout the current terror wave, Hamas has used Arab media as part of its campaign of incitement against Israel.

Last week, Hamas politburo leader Khaled Mashaal called to establish a "Palestinian leadership united on the ground," so as to manage the current terror wave and use it to achieve an end of "the occupation and the Israeli settlement."