We will never recognise Israel: Hamas lawmaker

GAZA: A lawmaker from the leading Hamas militant group said on Thursday the movement, which leads the Palestinian government, would never recognise the Jewish state, as Israel pressed ahead with a Gaza offensive.   

"We swear to God that even if we are all crushed to death, we will never recognise Israel and we will never abandon our rights," Palestinian lawmaker Mushir al-Masri, who is also a senior leader of the Islamic group, told thousands of supporters in Gaza City.   

Masri later said he was speaking on behalf of both the organisation, whose charter calls for Israel's destruction, and the Palestinian government, which Hamas won control of in a parliamentary election in January.   

The United States and other world powers have boycotted the new Palestinian government and cut off financial aid to the Palestinian Authority, demanding Hamas disarm, recognise Israel and past peace agreements.   

Israel detained dozens of Palestinian cabinet ministers and lawmakers in the West Bank early on Thursday.    

Meanwhile, forces continued Israel's first offensive into Gaza since it left the territory last year to try to push militants into releasing a soldier they kidnapped days earlier in an attack on an army base.