As terrorists in Gaza continued Tuesday to launch rockets at Israel amid ongoing ceasefire mediation efforts, The United States Department of State slammed the terrorist group, Hamas, and reaffirmed that Israel has the right to defend itself, The Algemeiner reported.
“We are aware of reports of ongoing rocket and mortar attacks from Gaza against targets in Israel,” a State Department official told JNS on Monday. “We condemn these attacks and call for their immediate halt. We stand with Israel as it defends itself against these attacks.”
Jason Greenblatt, The White House’s special representative to the Middle East, had earlier condemned Hamas – which exercises complete political and military control over Gaza – in a tweet.
“Terrorists in Gaza are again attacking Israel with tools of war. These rocket and mortar attacks on Israeli towns must be condemned by all. Israel is forced once again into military action to defend its citizens. We stand with Israel as it defends itself against these attacks,” Greenblatt said.
“Hamas’ activities continue to prove they don’t really care about the Palestinians of Gaza & their only interest is to use them for political purposes. Even Palestinian lives seem not to matter to Hamas,” Greenblatt added. “The world has grown tired of Hamas’ violence and the violence of other bad actors in Gaza. This violence prevents any real help for the people of Gaza.”
Dan Shapiro, the U.S. ambassador to Israel under President Barack Obama, also reaffirmed Israel’s right to self-defense.
“When a terrorist organization on your border launches 300 rockets at your civilian population, you have to respond,” Shapiro said. “You are justified to respond. Wishing the people of southern Israel and Gaza a quiet night, with no Hamas rocket launches and no need to respond.”
Hamas’s dire strategic situation dictates its moves against Israel. The group is running out of ways to attack Israel and wants to distract from the fact that it is directly responsible for the suffering of its own civilian population, wasting hundreds of millions in aid money on military infrastructure.
After weeks of sending masses of civilians into direct confrontation with Israel – including women children, even babies – to act as a buffer between its operatives trying to infiltrate the border, Hamas has resorted to previous tactics of firing directly on residents on the Gaza border.
[Photo: Loren / Flickr ]