Deputy Religious Affairs Minister Matan Kahana responded to propaganda that the IDF killed innocent children in its airstrikes against the Islamic Jihad terrorist organization in Gaza.
"Don't believe the lies. I saw with my own eyes how the terrorist organizations launch rockets from densely populated civilian areas toward the cities of Israel. These war criminals use their women and children as human shields while they shoot at our citizens. We will continue to strike our enemies," Kahana said.
Kahana was responding to a report that eight people, including four children, were killed yesterday in an Israeli airstrike in the city of Jabalia on Saturday. An IDF investigation found that there was no airstrike on Jabalia at the time of the incident and that the deaths were caused by a rocket which was fired by Islamic Jihad and which fell short in Gaza.
The IDF has released video showing the errant rocket being fired as part of a larger barrage and falling out of the sky instead of continuing on it path into Israel.
Israel launched Operation Breaking Dawn on Friday after four days of threats by Islamic Jihad that the terrorist organization would retaliate for the arrest of its Judea and Samaria leader last Monday.
About 600 rockets have been fired at Israel since the fighting began, and Israel has struck over 140 Islamic Jihad targets in Gaza.