The Foreign Press Association in Israel condemned "in the strongest of terms" the text messages purportedly sent by Hamas over the weekend to hundreds of Israeli cell phone users, including dozens of journalists.

The group, which represents international media in Israel, claims the threats sent by phone included "direct threats to our members including one from 'kill you' that said 'Hamas ... In the next war all of Palestine will be returned'' and one from a phone number beginning with the digits 057 that said 'Al-qassam has chosen you to be The next Shalite [Gilad Shalit, the soldier who was abducted to Gaza in 2006 and held for more than five years] .. Be Ready.'"

Some of the text messages sent over the weekend also warned Israelis of Qassam rockets, adding that if you want life, leave this country.

"This is unacceptable," the FPA said in a statement on its website. "Journalists are not part of the Middle East conflict. They are observers who should be treated as such The FPA calls on the Hamas government to take steps to guarantee this never happens again."