Defense establishment leaders sat with Defense Minister Sha'ul Mofaz this afternoon to discuss Israel's strategy in light of the apparent end of the hudna. IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Moshe Yaalon said afterwards, "The IDF will take action against Hamas leaders in Syria and Gaza, and will no longer differentiate between political and military leaders in Hamas." He said that though the army is already taking action in Shechem, Jenin, Hevron, and elsewhere, "the hard-core of Palestinian terrorism is in Gaza. The PA blocked some tunnels in Rafiach, but has still taken no action against the hard-core. If the PA continues to do nothing, we will have to go into Gaza and do it ourselves... Every terrorist leader there is a potential target for us..."
"The terrorists are trying now to carry out major attacks," Yaalon said, "and we are working to thwart them. The question is whether this is a short-lived escalation, or a genuine deterioration that will force us to respond massively."
Forces have been bolstered in Hevron for a possible major anti-terrorism offensive there. In Gaza, Arutz-7's Kobi Finkler confirms that the IDF has not yet begun military activity, and in fact removed one of the anti-terrorist roadblocks it placed last week on the main north-south highway. Gaza is thus divided into two parts instead of three.
"The terrorists are trying now to carry out major attacks," Yaalon said, "and we are working to thwart them. The question is whether this is a short-lived escalation, or a genuine deterioration that will force us to respond massively."
Forces have been bolstered in Hevron for a possible major anti-terrorism offensive there. In Gaza, Arutz-7's Kobi Finkler confirms that the IDF has not yet begun military activity, and in fact removed one of the anti-terrorist roadblocks it placed last week on the main north-south highway. Gaza is thus divided into two parts instead of three.