Hamas armed wing threatens attacks in Israel

GAZA: Hamas's armed wing threatened on Sunday to attack Israeli schools, institutions and power plants if Israel, pursuing a military campaign to free a soldier, continued its air strikes against infrastructure in Gaza.   

"If they continue with these attacks we will strike similar targets in the Zionist Occupation which we have not targeted until now," said Abu Ubaida, a spokesman for the armed wing of the Palestinian militant movement.   

Israel has launched air strikes against Gaza's main power plant and road bridges as part of an offensive launched last week to free Corporal Gilad Shalit, who was snatched by militants including members of Hamas, in a cross-border raid.   

Israeli air strikes on Sunday wrecked the office of Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, a Hamas leader, and also hit a Hamas school.   

The Israeli army said it had not targeted the school and had meant to hit a nearby building used by Hamas. There have been few casualties.   

"If the occupation continues aggression and terrorism against our people ... it will drag the region into a sea of blood and the consequences will be terrible. We still have many options," said Abu Ubaida.   

Hamas spearheaded a Palestinian uprising that erupted in 2000, carrying out nearly 60 suicide bombings against Israelis.

Until the recent outbreak in violence, Hamas had largely abided by a now shattered 18-month-old truce.   

Hamas was behind a bombing at Israel's Hebrew University in Jerusalem in July 2002 that killed nine people, including Israelis and foreigners.