GAZA, March 22 (Xinhuanet) -- Senior Hamas leader in Gaza Mahmoud Azzahar announced Monday that the movement has new methods and means to fight Israel in retaliation for the killing of Sheikh Ahmed Yassin.

    Azzahar told Xinhua after Yassin's funeral, in which about half a million Palestinian mourners participated, that "resistance would continue and of course there are other new means to fight Israel."

    "We know how to react to the villain assassination of Sheikh Yassin, and we are sure that in the end we will win and the Zionistenemy would be defeated," said Azzahar.

    Azzahar escaped an Israeli assassination attempt in last October. Yet his eldest son was killed and his wife critically injured when Israeli F-16 warplanes hit his house.

    "These huge crowds of people and lovers of Yassin and Hamas is a referendum to Yassin, to Hamas and the strategy of the movement," said Azzahar. "It is a message that we are not afraid of being targeted."

    Asked about Israel's accusations to Yassin which said he was behind numerous Palestinian suicide bombing attacks, Azzahar said "it is a great honor for Yassin to do so, and I believe he deserves to be a leader." Enditem