Israel Vows To React 'Firmly' Against Hamas

Israel's Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon on Saturday vowed to react "firmly" against the Palestinian faction Hamas in case it did not stop what he called attacks from the Gaza Strip on Israel.



In remarks he wrote on his Twitter account, Ya'alon also held Hamas responsible for everything that happened in the Gaza Strip.



He said an Israeli airstrike on Friday on a Gaza factory for the production of cement "used in the digging of tunnels" was a warning for Hamas that Israel would not accept attacks on its cities again.



"We consider Hamas to be responsible for everything that happens in Gaza," Ya'alon said.



"We will react firmly to it if it does not know how to stop attacks against Israel," he added on Twitter.



Earlier in the day, Israel's army spokesman Avichay Adraee said his country's air force had launched strikes against a Hamas target southern the Gaza Strip in response to a rocket attack on southern Israel on Friday.



"We will not accept the targeting or intimidation of our citizens," Adraee added on his Twitter account.



Palestinian factions signed a Gaza cease-fire deal with Israel on August 26, following 51 days of Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip.



The Israeli offensive left 2,160 Palestinians dead and more than 11,000 others injured.



Friday's airstrike was the first since the signing of the cease-fire deal on August 26.  



www.aa.com.tr/en - İsrail