PM Netanyahu. Illustrative. Photo courtesy of Amos Ben-Gershom (GPO)
After the latest explosive attack by Gaza terrorists against Israel’s border fence and subsequent attempt to infiltrate Israeli territory, Israel has had enough of months of regular terror attacks from the Gaza Strip. “Hamas, apparently, has not internalized the message. If they do not stop the violent attacks against us, they will be stopped in a different way and it will be painful—very painful,” said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday in comments released by his office.
“We are very close to a different kind of activity, an activity that will include very powerful blows.”
Netanyahu’s comments follow similar warnings from Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman, who told Ynet that war was on the table in the fight against Hamas. Lieberman noted that Israel had tried every other option besides a full-on conflict with Gaza, but that they had reached the point where the next move was to “deliver the hardest blow imaginable on Hamas.” He said the Security Cabinet would determine if Israel would launch a new operation in Gaza.
Throughout most of 2018, Hamas has stoked riots at Israel’s border fence, dispatched arson balloons and kites against Israeli civilians, tried to breach the border fence using explosives, and occasionally launched dozens of rockets at Israel.
Egypt has sought to mediate a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, but so far the terror attacks have continued.
On Friday, IDF spokesperson Jonathan Conricus said on Twitter that in addition to bombing the border fence with an improvised explosive device (IED), Gaza terrorists also “attacked an IDF position INSIDE Israel,” noting that the terrorists were killed by the IDF. “Some 20 terrorists crossed through the hole created by the IED, about 5 assaulted the IDF position and were repelled. This was an ORGANIZED ATTACK, their ultimate intention still unknown,” tweeted Conricus.
Well after Lieberman’s harsh words about possible war, Gaza terrorism continued. On Sunday, the IDF Spokesperson tweeted that the Israeli Air Force targeted a squad of terrorists “launching arson balloons from #Gaza into #Israel.” The tweet noted that Gaza balloons and kites armed with explosives or fire have burnt more than 8,000 acres of land in Israel since March.
It’s been a violent and costly year for the Israeli communities near Gaza. And after more than six months of attacks, Israel is apparently done waiting for Gaza to accept a ceasefire. What happens next is up to Hamas.
Said Netanyahu on Sunday, “If it has sense, Hamas will stop firing and stop these violent disturbances—now.”
(By Joshua Spurlock, www.themideastupdate.com, October 14, 2018)