Army spokesperson: `“We will not hesitate in shelling civilian areas`

Etan Arosi, spokesperson of the Israeli army reported on Tuesday that the army will not hesitate in shelling civilian targets, if the resistance fires homemade shells from these areas.

 

“We will use cannon fire” he said, “even if Palestinian civilians are living there”.

Arosi added that he “voiced appeals” to the Palestinian residents to avoid being in areas used by the resistance to fire homemade shells at Israeli targets.

“We will shell any place were homemade shells are fired from”, Arosi stated, “If they decide to fire the shells from civilians areas, then this is their problem, not ours”.

Also, Arosi reported that the Palestinian Authority should conduct its duties and control the security situation in the Gaza Strip, in order to make sure no attacks are carried out against Israeli targets.

The Israeli army shelled on Tuesday several targets in the Gaza Strip; the shelling was carried out by ground forces and aerial units.

Earlier on Tuesday, Hamas leadership announced that it stopped firing the homemade shells against Israeli settlements. The announcement was made by Mahmoud Zahhar, one of the prominent political leaders of Hamas. 

Arosi responded by saying that the statements of Zahhar will be tested by actions, not words.

Yet, Israeli Defense Minister, Shaul Mofaz said that “If Hamas, Mahmoud Zahhar, Ismail Haniyya, and other Hamas leaders do not stop the firing of the shells; then we will send them to Rantissi and Yassin”.

Ahmad Yassin, the wheelchair bound spiritual leader of Hamas, and Dr, Abdul Aziz Rantissi, were both assassinated by the Israeli army during Al Aqsa Intifada.

Meanwhile, an Israeli military source reported on Tuesday that the army has fired artillery shells at the Gaza Strip for the first time; the first shells were fired to test the distance, then another round of shells was fired at Palestinian targets.

Earlier on Tuesday, Israeli air force shelled several areas in the northern Gaza Strip. Army claims that the shelled areas were used by the resistance to fire homemade shells.

Several Palestinian homes were damaged, in addition to vehicles and properties which were destroyed.