Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu vowed at a briefing prior to a security cabinet meeting Tuesday night that God will “avenge the blood” of the three teens murdered by Arab terrorists on June 12.
The security cabinet is meeting to formulate its response to the escalation in terror, from Gaza as well as the attack that took the lives of the three teens in Gush Etzion.
Despite prompt and fierce retaliation to each rocket attack by the Israel Air Force, Gaza terrorists appear to be undeterred, launching increased rocket and mortar attacks aimed at southern Israel daily.
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu delivered a brief statement in Tel Aviv prior to the start of the meeting.
“God will avenge their blood, the blood of the [three teens murdered by Hamas terrorists on June 12,” he said.
“Our first objective is … to reach the murderers – which we will do — and anyone who participated in this. Anyone who had a hand in this despicable murder, their blood is on his head,” Netanyahu said grimly.
“We will track down each and every one.
“Second, we will destroy the infrastructure and the strength of Hamas in Judea and Samaria, in every corner of the region,” he vowed. “We have already done a great deal. We will continue until it is destroyed.
“Third, [our goal is] to destroy the strength of Hamas in Gaza.
“Hamas is responsible for the terror that took the lives of our three boys, and for the rocket fire directed against Israeli families. Hamas is now paying the price, and Hamas will continue to pay.
“Above all, our priority is to secure the safety of Israel’s citizens,” the prime minister said.
IDF Chief of Staff Benny Gantz joined Netanyahu at the briefing, adding a statement of his own and telling reporters that soldiers and officers were grieving together with the rest of Israel over the murders of the teens.
“Every officer, every soldier did every thing possible to successfully complete this search – to our sorrow, it ended in this way.
“We will continue [Operation Brother’s Keeper] against Hamas and against our enemies with the same motivation and the same energy.
“We will not allow the communities of the south to continue to be threatened with attacks as they are today,” Gantz promised.