Al Jazeera.
Tension is rising across the Middle East as Israel and Hamas, the
Palestinian group which controls the Gaza Strip, continue to exchange
fire amid the worst outbreak of violence since the Israeli assault on
the territory nearly four years ago.
Three Israelis died in the northern town of Kiryat Malachi on Thursday after a rocket fired from Gaza hit an apartment building.
At least 15 Palestinians, including two children, have been killed in
Israeli attacks since Wednesday which began with an aerial attack that
killed Ahmad Jabari, Hamas military commander who was accused by Israel for overseeing attacks against civilians.
Binyamin Netanyahu, Israeli prime minister, said on Thursday that
Israel would take "whatever action is necessary" to defend its citizens
from Palestinian rocket attacks as the Israeli military launched a
massive operation in Gaza.
"It is important to understand one simple point: there is no moral symmetry between the terrorists in Gaza and Israel," he said.
"They are committing double war crimes: they fire at Israeli civilians and hide behind Palestinian civilians."
Netanyahu referred to the Israeli attacks on Gaza as "surgical".
On the second day of an assault Israel said might last many days and
culminate in a ground attack, its fighter jets bombed targets in and
around Gaza City, where tall buildings trembled.
