Jerusalem: Amid spiralling violence in Israel and Palestinian territories, Islamic radical group Hamas has vowed revenge and threatened to target Israeli leaders following assassination of one of its founding leaders in an Israeli missile attack.

Ibrahim al-Makadma, co-founder of Hamas and leader of its military wing Izzadin Kassam, was one of the four Hamas members killed in the Gaza City strike on March 8. The incident came hours after two Israelis were shot dead by Palestinian attackers who infiltrated the West Bank Jewish settlement of Kiryat Arba.

Hamas would retaliate and aggressively target "the political leaders of the Zionists", reports from Gaza quoted Hamas spokesman Abdel Aziz Rantisi as saying at the funeral of 51-year-old Ibrahim al-Makadma.

Many Hamas followers gathered at a hospital in Gaza where his body was taken and shouted anti-Israel slogans. Following Ibrahim's assassination, Abdel Aziz al- Rantissi urged all unit commanders to target Israeli politicians.

"Every so-called Jewish political leader is wanted because they are declaring war against God and Islam," Abdel Aziz was reported to have told Qatar-based al-Jazeera TV.

Shouting "God is great," tens of thousands of Palestinians turned out for al- Makadma's funeral in Gaza City, many of them wearing signs to indicate that they were future suicide bombers.

Israel held al-Makadma responsible for the activities of the group's military wing, and alleged that he had ties with "terrorists" such as Salah Shehadeh, whom he recruited to the organisation.

PTI