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Itongadol.- Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon said on Wednesday that Israel is not interested in an escalation in Gaza but will respond to any acts of aggression from terrorists in the region.
He spoke following a security assessment that was held in the wake of a shooting incident near the border with Gaza, which left an IDF soldier in critical condition.
"We are not interested in an escalation or harming the rehabilitation operations in Gaza, but Hamas must not test our patience in the face of attempts to disrupt our lives," Ya’alon said.
"We consider Hamas responsible for what is happening in Gaza. We will not allow a routine of firing and we will also respond with determination and strength in any similar case."
Earlier, Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz stated that the IDF would continue to quash escalation along the Gaza border.
"Instability is a regular feature in the life of the IDF and every border of the State of Israel," Gantz said.
"We have no intention of allowing these incidents to pass unanswered," he added. "We responded to the incident in the area and we will work correctly and powerfully as required in the future."
Wednesday’s incident came after Gaza terrorists fired a rocket at Israel last Friday in a breach of the truce with Israel, in at least the third such rocket attack since the ceasefire that ended Operation Protective Edge in August.
In response to the rocket attack, the IAF struck Gaza concrete factories used to rebuild the terror tunnels leading into Israel and built to attack Israeli civilians. Over 30 such tunnels were destroyed in the operation, but since it ended Hamas has been busily rebuilding them.