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Gaza's parliament, civilian ministries legitimate targets in offensive against Hamas: Israeli military
The Israeli military has intensified its offensive against Hamas militants with indiscriminate bombardment of Gaza City.
The Israeli military on Tuesday announced that it considers Gaza's parliament and civilian ministries as legitimate targets in its offensive against the Palestinian militant group Hamas, reported the Associated Press.
When asked if Israel considered Hamas’ civil government, such as parliament and ministries, legitimate targets, Israeli military spokesperson Richard Hecht said “if there’s a gunman firing rockets from there, it turns into a military target.”
Hecht also said there might not be the same “level of fidelity” in warning targets before strikes because Israel’s air force is stretched thin.
Israel’s military said early Tuesday that a deputy Israeli commander was killed in clashes on the northern border with Lebanon. The military identified the deputy commander as Alim Abdallah, but did not specify the exact circumstances of his death.
The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) have intensified their retaliatory attack on Hama-controlled Gaza with indiscriminate bombardment.
The death toll rose to more than 900 in Israel, which has retaliated with a withering barrage of strikes on Gaza, raising the death toll there to 687.
Israel already imposed a total siege on the Gaza Strip on Monday, cutting off food, water and electricity supplies, as both sides accused each other of committing war crimes.
Hamas has warned it will kill one of the 130 hostages every time Israel's military bombs civilian targets in Gaza without warning. Hamas said Monday that Israeli air strikes had killed four of its hostages.
"Every targeting of our people without warning will be met with the execution of one of the civilian hostages," Hamas armed wing, the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, said in a statement.
Israel's foreign minister, Eli Cohen, said the country is committed to bringing back the hostages home and issued a warning to Hamas.
“We demand Hamas not to harm any of the hostages," he said. “This war crime will not be forgiven.”
(With inputs from agencies)
