Teenagers Train for Jihad, Martyrdom at a Hamas Summer Camp in Gaza

A July 17 Report posted on a pro-Hamas YouTube account shows the training of teenagers in an Izz Al-Din Al-Qassam summer camp in Gaza. Activities at the "Vanguards of Liberation" camp include military training, shooting practice, hand-to-hand combat, and religious studies. A masked instructor said that the studies include "lectures in which we incite the students to wage Jihad for the sake of Allah." Another said: "These young people tour this place and look at [pictures of] the leaders, who sacrificed their souls as martyrs in Jihad for the sake of Allah, leaders who will be their role models on the path to liberation and martyrdom."

Following are excerpts

"The Vanguards of Liberation"

Voice over: On the second day of the "Vanguards of Liberation - Soldiers of Jerusalem" summer camp, the mujahideen of the Al-Qassam Brigades are training the participating youngsters in various skills, and are guarding them and helping them along their road to freedom and victory.

Scenes of Hamas teenagers military training

Hamas military camp instructor: The Prophet Muhammad said: "A strong believer is better and more beloved by Allah than a weak believer." Allah said: "Oh Yahya, take hold of the Book firmly." We are in need of strong and powerful heroes in order to implement the words of Allah: "(The companions) are tough against the infidels and merciful among themselves."

Hamas teenager: We come from the mosques in order to heed the call of Allah and His Prophet, in order to prepare ourselves for the final and decisive battle with the tyrannical occupation that defiled our land and our holy places. We came here today to undergo training with all our strength and our knowledge, in order to protect our holy places and our land, and in order to take revenge upon the tyrannical Zionist occupation.

Hamas military camp religious instructor: In this summer camp, we are focusing on providing a sound religious and ideological education, in order to build an able and unique generation of powerful servants of Allah, in an ideological, religious, and military sense, a generation that will liberate Jerusalem and the rest of the land, Allah willing.

Hamas teenager: We have come to the bases of the Al-Qassam Brigades, in order to prepare ourselves to continue on the path of our martyrs, and to march forward on the path of liberation, Allah willing.

Hamas military camp instructor: In these summer camps, the students learn several things. We concentrate on motivational instruction and religious education, through lectures in which we motivate the students to wage Jihad for the sake of Allah, and we instill love for Allah and His Prophet in the souls of our sons.

Hamas religious figure: These youth tour this place and look around, looking at the great leaders, who sacrificed their souls as martyrs in Jihad for the sake of Allah, leaders who will be their role models, on the path to liberation and martyrdom. This prompts these youth to proceed on this path, without fear, with force and steadfastness. We ask Allah that these young people become the seeds of liberation.

"Department of Military Media The Martyr 'Izz Al-Din Al-Qassam Brigades 2016"

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