Thousands of teens enroll in Hamas summer camps
Al-Qassam Brigades and Hamas have set up camps across the Gaza Strip where future generations of Palestinians can receive training on the Palestinian cause, the proper use of firearms and fighting Israel.
![PALESTINIANS-MILITARY/ Young Palestinians crawl under an obstacle during a military-style exercise at Liberation Youths summer camp, organised by the Hamas movement, in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, August 1, 2015. Hamas stages dozens of military-style summer camps for young Palestinians in the Gaza Strip to prepare them to "confront any possible Israeli attack", organisers said. REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY - RTX1MOQN](/sites/default/files/styles/article_hero_medium/public/almpics/2015/08/RTX1MOQN.jpg/RTX1MOQN.jpg?h=f7822858&itok=WMZmhnz5)
Despite its financial crisis, Hamas is funding numerous summer military camps to train the next generation of Palestinian fighters and to maintain the group's popularity, especially among youths.
Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of the Hamas movement, in June began registering Gazans for the camps, dubbed the Vanguard for Liberation camps. Registration took place in mosques and al-Qassam military sites and targeted several age groups between 17 and 60. The camps were held from July 25 to Aug. 1. According to an official affiliated with the camps, 30 such sites were organized across the Strip.