Israel warned Hamas Tuesday it was risking "war" by failing to stop incendiary balloon attacks from Gaza, as fuel shortages in the Palestinian enclave caused by Israel's blockade caused widespread blackouts.
Israel's army earlier on Tuesday said its fighter jets had hit underground Hamas infrastructure, and linked the strikes to "explosive and arson balloons launched" from Gaza.
The strikes came as visiting Egyptian security officials strove to defuse more than a week of heightened unrest that has included rocket and incendiary device attacks from Gaza and daily Israeli reprisals.
Israel's President Reuven Rivlin issued a warning to Hamas during a visit to communities near the Gaza border hit by the unrest.
"Terrorism using incendiary kites and balloons is terrorism just like any other," Rivlin said in a statement.
"Hamas should know that this is not a game. The time will come when they have to decide... if they want war they will get war," said Rivlin, who holds a largely ceremonial post in the Jewish state.
Israeli defence minister and alternate prime minister Benny Gantz said "Hamas is playing with fire," and vowed to "make certain the fire is turned back on them."
No casualties were reported in the latest Israeli airstrikes.
Israel and Hamas have fought three wars since 2008.
Despite a truce last year backed by Egypt, the UN and Qatar, Hamas and Israel clash sporadically, with Palestinian incendiary balloons or rocket or mortar fire drawing retaliatory Israeli strikes and civil sanctions.
A Hamas source told AFP the Islamists had held talks with the Egyptian delegation in Gaza on Monday before it left the territory for meetings with the Israelis and the West Bank-based Palestinian Authority.
The delegation was expected to return to Gaza after those talks were concluded, the source added.
Power had been in short supply even before the shutdown, with consumers having access to mains electricity for only around eight hours a day.
That will now be cut to just four hours a day using power supplied from the Israeli grid.
For the rest of the time, those Gazans who can afford it rely on solar panels, or generators, which also need fuel.
Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum said the electricity crisis was a "crime against humanity," for which Israel must answer.
"We will work with all our force to break the siege," he said.
Gaza security sources and witnesses said Tuesday's strikes hit Hamas lookout posts at Rafah in the south of the territory and Beit Lahia in the north.
Incendiary balloons continue to land in Israel as talks falter
TZVI JOFFRE
Incendiary balloons landed throughout southern Israel on Wednesday, as tensions continue to rise between Israel and terrorist groups in the Gaza Strip.
One balloon was located in the town of Ofakim, while a number of other balloons were found in fields near Kibbutz Sa'ad, Sdot Negev, Beit Hagedi and Sde Teiman, according to Channel 12. No injuries or damage have been reported. Fires were reported near a neighborhood in Sderot and in the Be'eri forest on Wednesday morning.
According to Army Radio, an Egyptian envoy that is working to prevent an escalation stated on Wednesday that there are difficulties in talks to calm the situation as both Israel and Hamas are refusing to budge.
The Saif Al-Islam Brigades in Gaza warned that they would respond to any assassination with rocket fire on Tel Aviv. The balloon units warned on Wednesday that they would make the day "hell" for Israelis, adding that Israel's "threats and attacks do not, and will not, and will not, intimidate" them.
Qatari envoy Muhammad Al-Emadi told Palestinian media on Wednesday that "intensive Qatari efforts are being made to contain the escalation in the Gaza Strip, in parallel with the continuous Qatari efforts to alleviate the humanitarian crisis experienced by the residents of the Strip.
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