An Israeli soldier stands on top of a tank near the Israel Gaza border, on August 2, 2014.JERUSALEM – Israel signaled Saturday it plans to scale back its military operation in the Gaza war and will not participate for now in any cease-fire negotiations in Cairo with Hamas. The Islamic militant group suggested it won’t hold its fire in the case of a unilateral Israeli pullout, raising the prospect of renewed hostilities in the future.
Israel continued to pound Gaza with airstrikes Saturday, killing at least 72 Palestinians, many in the southern border town of Rafah where Israeli troops searched for a soldier feared captured by militants.
In a televised address, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu suggested that the Israeli military will reassess its Gaza operation once troops complete the demolition of Hamas tunnels under the Gaza-Israel border. Once the tunnels are demolished, “the military will prepare for continuing action in according to our security needs,” he said, stressing all options remain on the table.
“We promised to return the quiet to Israel and that is what we will do. We will continue to act until that goal is reached, however long it will take and with as much force needed,” Netanyahu said. “Hamas needs to understand that it will pay an intolerable price as far as it is concerned for continuing to fire.”
Since the Gaza war began July 8, at least 1,712 Palestinians – most of them civilians – have been killed and more than 9,000 have been wounded, Palestinian health official Ashraf al-Kidra said. Israel has lost 63 soldiers and three civilians, its highest death toll since its 2006 with Lebanon’s Hezbollah. Hundreds of soldiers have been wounded.