Israel's Security Cabinet Authorizes Military Action If Gaza Rocket Fire Continues

Security cabinet authorizes broad military action if Gaza rocket fire continues

JUDAH ARI GROSS

The security cabinet on Monday evening signed off on a major military response if terrorists in the Gaza Strip continue to fire rockets into Israel, after dozens of projectiles were launched from the enclave over the past three days.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Benny Gantz were authorized to determine what steps to take should the violence persist, according to Israeli officials.

The decision came following a security cabinet meeting in which defense officials presented a number of potential military options in response to further rocket attacks. The officials warned that a large strike on the Hamas terror group could lead to an outbreak of further violence not only in Gaza, but also in Jerusalem and the West Bank.

Though the Israel Defense Forces has not yet sent reinforcements to the Gaza border, the military on Monday night was gearing up for the possibility of a wider conflict.

Since the start of the attacks, Israel has sent a number of messages to Hamas through a variety of intermediaries — notably the Egyptian military and the United Nations — warning the terror group that if it did not rein in the other terror groups in the Strip, that the IDF would hold it responsible.

On Monday, Defense Minister Benny Gantz met with the United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Tor Wennesland — a major international arbiter between Israel and terror groups in the Gaza Strip — regarding the escalating violence from the Palestinian enclave, his office said.

“I expressed the urgency of the immediate cessation of violence from Gaza and reiterated Israel’s unyielding commitment to protecting its citizens and sovereignty,” Gantz said in a statement.

Earlier Monday, Hamas reacted furiously to Israel’s full closure of the Gaza fishing zone, saying it would not accept the restrictions and that the policy would have serious repercussions.

“Israel will bear the consequences,” Hamas said, according to the Ynet news site. “The closure of the Gaza Strip to fishermen is a blatant violation of their rights and constitutes a form of ongoing aggression against our people. Israel’s aggressive policy toward the Palestinian people will not break its steadfast spirit or weaken its fist or limit its determination.