On its website, the Hamas military wing, Izzedine al Qassam, laid bare its command structure for the first time, posting the names of seven top operatives, along with photos, biographies, and interviews. One of the commanders said the group had more volunteers for suicide missions than he could dispatch.
Hamas is also printing tens of thousands of fliers with the content of the website, to be distributed in coming days in mosques and at rallies.
The seven names were known to some in Gaza, but yesterday marked the first time Hamas itself presented them in public, along with their job titles. At the top of the pyramid was Mohammed Deif, who has been number one on Israel's wanted list for years and has survived three attempts by Israel to kill him.
In comments posted on the website, Deif warned that Hamas would use force if Palestinian police tried to disarm or arrest members of the group.
''We will respond to any attack, whether from the authority or from the Israelis," Deif was quoted as saying.
Deif also said Izzedine al Qassam would not disband, but would instead continue to develop weapons, including rockets.
He was evasive when asked whether the group would stick to an informal cease-fire with Israel, particularly after the Gaza pullout. Hamas is competing in parliamentary elections in January and appears reluctant to carry out attacks, amid concerns it could lose popularity among voters if held responsible for provoking reprisals.
Hassan Yousef, a Hamas leader in the West Bank, said Izzedine al Qassam came forward ''to show the role of resistance in liberating Gaza." Alluding to the competition with Abbas, he said the militants ''felt that there are some people who wanted to downplay the role of the resistance."
Abbas is also trying to win political capital from the Israeli pullout.
He stands to gain if Gazans, fenced in during nearly five years of Israeli-Palestinian fighting, win some freedom of movement as a result of new border arrangements the Palestinian Authority is trying to negotiate with Israel.
