The IDF Spokesman tweeted a message on Monday afternoon 2 Tammuz that “since last night Gaza terrorists fired 16 rockets at Israeli civilians and opened fire at soldiers near the security fence”.

As if the military is inviting the next level of fighting, a “security source” is quoted anonymously by Walla News saying “If a grad rocket is fired, that will signal an escalation in the fighting”.

Officials announced the rocket barrage since Sunday night was the work of Hamas. The experts explain that Hamas has refrained from firing rockets since 2012, until Sunday night that is. It would appear the countless rockets fired in recent years are attributed to terrorists other than Hamas.

During a briefing session of the Knesset Foreign Affairs & Defense Committee Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said “I would like to clarify: “If the silence achieved during Operation Pillar of Defense is broken and the shooting continues, there are two options; either Hamas stops it or we will stop it. We will not tolerate continued [rocket] fire”.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)