Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Wednesday spoke via telephone with the heads of local councils in southern Israel and the Gaza border area, updating them on the latest developments.
"We are changing the balance of things," Netanyahu said. "I told you that we would choose the right timing. The right timing was two days ago, like the Shabak (Israel Security Agency) head said, 'the stars aligned.'"
"The heads of terror organizations, the commanders and terrorists, know that they are on our radar and that at any moment we might act against them in any area. This is a message they understand well.
"We decided to increase our deterrence via new means which they did not imagine. We carried out a surgical type of action. Every terror leader and commander knows that we can reach him personally. They fire from within a civilian population and they hide behind civilians. Now we broke that equation, when we eliminated [Baha Abu Al Ata] when he was hiding."
Netanyahu also praised the resilience and support of those living on the Gaza border.
"I very much appreciate your resilience and support, and those of the residents," he told the regional leaders, requesting that they instruct their residents to obey the Home Front Command.
The leaders thanked Netanyahu and praised him for the Abu Al Ata's elimination. They also noted that their cities have seen significant growth in the past few years, and that their residents remain strong and support continued action in Gaza.
Acting Director General of the Prime Minister's Office Ronen Peretz will remain in touch with the local leaders, aiding them as much as possible.