Hamas Says Gaza War to 'Shorten Occupation Era', Israel Vows to Take 'Whatever Action Necessary'
Israel will take "whatever action is necessary" to defend its citizens from Palestinian rocket attacks, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday as Gaza's Hamas rulers noted that the current conflict “will shorten the era of occupation.”
Netanyahu's remarks at a televised press conference in Tel Aviv came after Israel carried out 24 hours of air strikes on Gaza, killing 15 Palestinians, at least seven of them Hamas militants.
Over the same period, militants fired more than 200 rockets at Israel, killing three people and injuring 16, police and medics said.
Israel will "continue to take whatever action is necessary to defend our people," the prime minister said, adding that the army was prepared to "significantly expand the action" in Gaza.
The Israeli air force had "caused significant damage to the Fajr rockets aimed at Tel Aviv, the (surrounding) Dan region and north of that," he added, referring to Iranian-built missiles which have a range of up to 75 kilometers (46 miles).
Earlier on Thursday, Defense Minister Ehud Barak, on a visit to an Iron Dome anti-missile battery near Beersheva, said the operation had "nearly completely paralyzed" Hamas' arsenal of Fajr 5 rockets.
Hamas militants said on Thursday they had fired several Fajr 5 rockets at Tel Aviv, but the Israeli military dismissed the claim and there were no reports of any attacks in the area.
Later on Thursday, the Israeli army confirmed that a rocket struck Rishon LeTzion, some 15 kilometers (nine miles) southeast of Tel Aviv, but there were no injuries or damage.
Meanwhile, Hamas said it would not consider a truce with Israel for now, as Israeli planes pounded Gaza and militants fired hundreds of rockets into the Jewish state.
"We will not be exposed to further tricks by the occupation. We consider talk of a truce at this time an attempt to provide more cover for the continuation of the escalation on Gaza," Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said at a press conference.
"Talk of a truce is another attempt by the occupation at deception," he said, adding that "the enemy started an open war on our people and our resistance in Gaza."
His remarks appeared to rule out any hopes of a quick end to a surge of violence that began with an Israeli targeted killing of top Hamas field commander Ahmed Jaabari on Wednesday.
“We are fighting a real war with Israel in every sense of the word,” Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum said during the same press conference.
The battle will create new realities and the end will be determined through a gradual, advanced and escalating battle. Today, the resistance is overseeing the battle and we are confident that it will confront the occupation and foil its objectives,” he added.
Addressing the Israeli population, Barhoum said “the Zionists must fully realize that their leaders are putting their lives in danger for domestic political reasons.”
“We call on the masses of our people in the occupied West Bank to rise up,” he added.
The Hamas spokesman lauded “the wise decisions taken by (Egyptian) President (Mohamed) Morsi” and urged the Arab and Muslim countries to “follow suit.”
On Wednesday, Morsi ordered the foreign ministry to summon the Israeli envoy and recall Egypt's ambassador from Tel Aviv, calling for an emergency meeting of Arab League foreign ministers, which is slated to be held in Cairo on Saturday.
“The Arab countries must lay out a strategy to end the suffering of our people and we urge the peoples to mobilize in support of Gaza.,” Barhoum added.
Source: Agence France Presse, Naharnet
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