Israel's deputy defense minister warned on Friday of a disaster in the Gaza Strip after Israel activated an air raid system to protect a major city from Palestinian rocket barrages. Deputy Defense Minister Matan Vilnai told Israel's Army Radio that Israel had "no other choice" but to launch a massive military operation in Gaza Strip.
"As the rocket fire grows, and the range increases ... they are bringing upon themselves a greater 'shoah' because we will use all our strength in every way we deem appropriate, whether in airstrikes or on the ground," Vilnai stated. The Hebrew word "shoah" is most often associated with the Holocaust a spokesman for Vilnai, Eitan Ginzburg, said the deputy defense minister never intended it as a reference to the Holocaust but used the word "shoah" to denote a disaster.
According to the AP, Israel's Defense Minister Ehud Barak said Friday that the assaults on the port city of Ashkelon "demand an Israeli retaliation." Barak, who has warned repeatedly of a large-scale operation in Gaza Strip, blamed Hamas rulers for the escalation and said the Islamic movement would "suffer the consequences."
The Israeli military has completed its preparations for a major ground offensive and notified the government it is ready to move immediately when the order is given, Israeli defense officials said. But Israel does not intend to launch a major ground offensive in the next week or two, partly because the military prefers to wait for clearer weather, they said.
Meanwhile, tens of thousands of Palestinians took to the streets Friday to bury their dead and protest the Israeli attacks. Gaza Strip's Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh emerged Friday for prayers. Hamas, he told a crowd of 2,000, will not be cowed.
"You are mistaken if you thought that targeting buildings, ministries and police stations is going to stop our work," Haniyeh said, directing his comments at Israel. "We will work under trees, in tents and in the streets."
