World Bulletin/News Desk

The Hamas government in Gaza has been operating a force over the past few months whose sole task is to prevent the firing of rockets into Israel, Israeli paper Haaretz reports.

According to the report, the new force was formed by and is under the direct command of Hamas Interior Minister Fathi Hammad. Quoting a Gaza source, paper claims the force of some 300 men operates, "day and night, 24 hours, everywhere in the Strip, particularly near the borders with Israel."

"The soldiers wear black uniforms and make their way around on motorcycles and four-wheel drive vehicles," Haaretz states. PAper claims "the force has a green light to shoot activists who resist arrest or fire at the Hamas soldiers. Anyone arrested can expect to spend at least a couple of months in prison," quoting a Hamas source. The rockets and/or mortars that are found are confiscated and transfered to Hamas, according to the report.

Haaretz also claims "the force has arrested many members of smaller Palestinian radical groups, but there have also been arrests of members of the Islamic Jihad and PRC."