Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced that the attacks will intensify against Hamas. – Amit Shabi / AP / SIPA
The Israeli Prime Minister is stepping up the pressure on Gaza a little more. “Since yesterday (Monday), the army has carried out hundreds of attacks against Hamas and Islamic Jihad in Gaza (…) And we will further intensify the power of our attacks,” said Benjamin Netanyahud in a video released by his services, adding that the armed Islamist movement Hamas “was going to take a beating that it does not expect.”
The Prime Minister made these statements after the death of two Israeli women, killed in the city of Ashkelon (south) by rockets fired from the Gaza Strip. “We deplore the deaths of two Israeli women and I ask you to respect the security instructions,” added Benjamin Netanyahu, addressing the Israelis at the end of a security meeting in southern Israel.
26 dead including children in Gaza
Hamas said it launched 137 rockets in “five minutes” Tuesday afternoon on this town and neighboring Ashdod, simultaneous strikes aimed at thwarting the Israeli “Iron Dome” missile shield.
For its part, the Israeli army has stepped up airstrikes against alleged Hamas and Islamic Jihad positions in the Gaza Strip, where 26 people have died since Monday evening, including children, according to the latest report from the local ministry of health. “We have eliminated commanders, hit a lot of important targets and we have decided to attack harder and increase the pace of attacks,” said Benjamin Netanyahu, as the international community calls for a de-escalation.