Israel said last night that it was prepared to expand the military operation in Gaza until the threat from Hamas was “extinguished”, and warned civilians in refugee camps to flee.
“This is an operation that may take more days and more infantry assaults,” Moshe Yaalon, the Israeli defence minister, said at a press conference with Binyamin Netanyahu, the prime minister, and top military commanders.
Mr Netanyahu added: “We must be prepared for a lengthy campaign. We will not end this operation without neutralising the tunnels whose sole purpose is to kill our citizens.”
Israel was mourning fresh casualties yesterday after mortars struck a group of soldiers near Beeri kibbutz, four miles from the Gaza border. A fifth soldier was killed elsewhere. A Palestinian militant who