IDF officials announced that despite the rocket fire from Gaza on Friday, it believes the Hamas regime is not interested in entering into another armed conflict with Israel, explaining the attacks last week were not carried out by Hamas.

Senior officials add that nevertheless; it does view the Hamas regime responsible to prevent such attacks.

Military officials add that the IDF is continuing efforts to locate terrorist smuggling tunnels leading from Gaza into southern Israel. It is reported that Hamas is “frustrated” over the reality that Israel has developed a method to detect tunnels, a methodology that state officials are calling “a government secret” for the time being.

At the start of the weekly cabinet meeting on Sunday, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu added, “Israel will continue to act as necessary to uncover and counter the threat of tunnels in the south. We will spare no resources and means in providing security to the residents of the area adjacent to Gaza. In the past two years, these communities have flourished amidst a considerable increase in the number of residents. We are working to continue this trend. We are not seeking escalation, but we will not be deterred from doing whatever is necessary to maintain security”.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)