The armed wing of Gaza's Islamist rulers Hamas has put its weapons on public display, in a first open event drawing hundreds of Palestinians including children brandishing rocket launchers for selfies.
Dressed in black balaclavas and tactical camouflage suits, members of the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades mingled with young men and women at the exhibition in Gaza City's Unknown Soldier's Square.
"Resistance is an image and a memory. Take souvenir photos with many of Al-Qassam's weapons," the group said in an invitation on social media and posters in mosques.
The event was the first at which Hamas has allowed the public to take photos of weapons.
It follows the latest surge in worsening Israeli-Palestinian violence, which cost 16 Palestinian and four Israeli lives in the occupied West Bank over six
days in late June.
In May, militant groups in Gaza and Israel traded cross-border fire for five
days, killing 34 Palestinians, among them six commanders of the Islamic
Jihad, fighters from other Palestinian armed groups and civilians including
children. One Israeli woman died.
Among the Hamas weapons on display in Gaza City on Friday were a range of
locally manufactured missiles, "Shihab" drones, rocket-propelled grenade
launchers and Russian-made "Kornet" missiles.
Exhibitions are also scheduled to take place on Saturday in the north and
centre of the Gaza Strip, where people are normally forbidden to approach and
photograph military sites.
At the entrance to the Gaza City exhibition a banner welcomed visitors, some
of whom had come with their families and children, an AFP correspondent said.
Dozens of uniformed Al-Qassam Brigades members were on hand.
- 'Proud of the resistance' -
A young boy in fatigues and wearing a green Brigades headband smiled for the
cameras as a man propped a rocket launcher on his shoulder.
Another held the controls of an anti-aircraft gun as young men posed in front
of a display of rockets on stands.
"I came with my family to take photos with the weapons and reinforce the
spirit of resistance in our children," said Gaza resident Abu Mohammed Abu
Shakian.
The exhibition is "encouraging and means that the liberation of our land is
near", added Shahadeh Dalou, who also came with his children.
Bassam Darwish, 58, said people wanted to show their support for the Al-
Qassam Brigades.
Hamas is considered a terrorist organisation by the United States, Australia,
Britain, Israel and the European Union.
"Everyone is happy and proud of the Al-Qassam exhibition. We are here because
we're proud of the resistance," he said.
Around 2.3 million Palestinians live in the impoverished Gaza Strip which has
been under a crippling Israeli-led blockade since Hamas seized power in 2007.
Israel and Palestinian militant groups in Gaza have fought several wars
since.
