Netanyahu: Israeli Attack on Gaza Continues as Long as Necessary

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Saturday that Israel will continue its bombardment of Gaza as long as necessary, and it will make every effort to avoid civilian casualties. Netanyahu accused the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) of initiating the hostilities that have lasted for about a week by launching rockets at Israel. In a televised speech, Netanyahu stated, "The party responsible for this confrontation is not us, but those who attack us... We are still in the midst of this operation, and it is not over yet; it will continue as long as necessary." He added, "Unlike Hamas, which deliberately intends to harm civilians by hiding behind them, we are doing everything we can... to avoid or minimize harm to civilians as much as possible, and to strike at the terrorists directly instead."