Netanyahu says strikes on Gaza that killed hundreds are ‘only the beginning’
Israeli strikes killed more than 400 and shattered months of relative calm in Gaza since ceasefire began
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned on Tuesday that massive overnight strikes on Gaza were “only the beginning” and that future negotiations with Hamas “will take place only under fire”.
Netanyahu said in a video statement on Tuesday evening “Hamas has already felt the strength of our arm in the past 24 hours. And I want to promise you – and them – this is only the beginning”.
Israel’s resumption of strikes on the Gaza Strip represents a major step in the wrong direction after its ceasefire with Hamas earlier this year, President Emmanuel Macron said on Wednesday alongside Jordan’s King Abdullah II.
“The resumption of Israeli strikes yesterday, despite the efforts of mediators, represents a dramatic step backwards,” Macron said ahead of talks in Paris with Abdullah, who in turn called the strikes “an extremely dangerous step that adds further devastation to an already dire humanitarian situation”.
Negotiations have stalled over how to proceed with a ceasefire whose first phase has expired, with Israel and Hamas disagreeing on whether to move to a new phase intended to bring the war to an end.
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Israeli air strikes shatter ceasefire, leave hundreds dead in Gaza