Senior Islamic resistance movement Hamas leader Abdel Aziz Rantisi said Wednesday his group is able to "reach" Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz and hurt them.

Sharon, Mofaz and the Israeli army are so afraid to confront the Palestinian militants that "they are using their helicopters and war planes in fighting them," Rantisi said in a statement published on his private website.

"They intensified their airstrikes on Ezzedine Al-Qassam militants because the Zionists are cowards and chickens and they don't have the courage to confront our militants," the statement said.

In a message to Sharon and Mofaz, Rantisi said "escaping from confronting our militants would never prevent our militants to their targets."

Hamas has claimed responsibility for the armed ambush in eastern Ramallah on Sunday, in which three Israeli soldiers were killed.

Hamas militants not only killed "the Zionists who are occupying our lands, but also took their guns," Rantisi said, " Our militants returned to their bases with a great triumph."

"If the Zionists stop using helicopters and warplanes against us, and just send troops for militants, their soldiers would be running like rats because they are cowards," the Hamas leader said.

(Xinhua News Agency October 23, 2003)