The war machine recently showed off by Hamas is a fake, senior Israeli official Ofir Gendelman tweeted. He believes the 'tank' is in fact a wooden replica, planted on another, less intimidating vehicle.
The memorial service for seven Hamas fighters killed by a tunnel collapse about a week ago featured a piece of military hardware shown off by the movement’s military wing Izz ad-Din Al-Qassam Brigades. The ceremony was aired by Hamas's Al-Aqsa TV.
“The Tufah neighborhood [in Gaza] has a long history with enemy tanks and therefore we’re preparing for the day we shall meet those tanks,” Al-Qassam Brigades speaker said according to the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI). “Let the locally-produced vehicle move forward.”
However the Israeli prime minister's spokesperson for Arab media, Ofir Gendelman, mocked the machine on Twitter.
The picture of ‘tank on wheels’ triggered a storm of giggles on Twitter. Some, such as anonymous pro-Israel blog Elder of Ziyon, suggested that the construction was in fact a fiberglass carcass with a car inside it.
However, Al-Qassam Brigades tweeted that the ‘tank’ displayed at the ceremony was merely a simulation.