likening Hamas to the brutal Islamic State (IS) terror group, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday vowed to continue with Israel’s offensive in Gaza “until all of its goals are achieved”.
“We decided that there will be no immunity for anyone who fires rockets, and that is relevant for every front and any person,” Netanyahu told his Cabinet at its weekly meeting in reference to rocket fire at Israel from both the north and the south of Gaza. At least 15 rockets fired from Gaza hit Israel’s southern areas on Sunday morning.
Some five rockets were also fired from Syria and lebanon at the northern Golan Heights and the Western Galilee, hitting an empty house on Saturday night.
With regard to Israel’s continuing operation in the Gaza Strip, the Israeli Premier said that “Operation Protective Edge will continue until all of its goals are achieved, and this can take time”.
“We are not alone in this — Hamas is ISIS and ISIS is Hamas... These are groups that execute their own members and have no issue killing children. Hamas recently admitted to kidnapping and killing Eyal, Naftali and Gilad (the three Israeli teenagers) and the world is wising up to this with every passing day,” he said.
“They do not want human rights but rather a Caliphate,” Netanyahu emphasised. Addressing growing anger by residents of Israel’s south, who were told that they could return home before ceasefire efforts collapsed and fighting started anew, Netanyahu said that he respects their endurance and feels their pain.
“Our enemies will not exhaust us, and they will receive attrition instead. We will continue to hit Hamas and Gaza terror groups,” the Israeli Premier asserted.