Israel Insists It Will Continue To Attack Gaza As Long As Necessary

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JAKARTA - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has confirmed his side will continue to launch attacks on the Gaza strip for as long as necessary. So far, the Israeli and Palestinian conflicts have killed 148 Palestinians and 10 in Israel.

"Israel is still in the middle of this operation, it is still not over and this operation will continue for as long as necessary," Netanyahu told The Guardian on Sunday, May 16.

The conflict between Israelis and Palestinians has been heating up again since fighting began on Monday, May 10. Israel has launched more than 1,000 airstrikes and artillery strikes on densely populated coastal lines.

Israel said the attack was aimed at Hamas and other militant targets. Meanwhile, Hamas and other militant groups have fired about 2,300 rockets from Gaza into the Israeli military.

Hamas began its rocket attack on Monday, after weeks of tension over a court case to expel several Palestinian families in East Jerusalem, and in retaliation for Israeli police clashes with Palestinians near the city's al-Aqsa mosque.

Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh said the main cause of the hostilities was Jerusalem. "The Zionists thought they could destroy the al-Aqsa mosque. They thought they could displace our people in Sheikh Jarrah. I told Netanyahu, don't play with fire," Haniyeh said on Saturday, May 15.

The United Nations has tried to intervene to ease tensions in the Gaza Strip. However, to date it has shown no signs of progress. Diplomacy efforts so far have not been able to stop the bloodshed.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was reportedly "shaken" by the high death toll in the Gaza Strip. Guterres also felt "deeply disturbed" by israeli airstrikes that destroyed a tower containing a number of international media offices.

"The secretary-general is reeling from the growing number of civilian casualties, including the deaths of 10 people from one family," Guterres spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.

"He was also deeply disturbed by the destruction of a tall building in Gaza city that houses a number of international media offices and several apartment units," Dujarric said of Guterres' remarks.

Dujarric added that Guterres also reminded all sides that attacking civilians and media buildings is a violation of international rules. That, guterrses said, should be avoided as much as possible.

On Saturday, there were also demonstrations condemning Israel's actions in Gaza taking place around the world, including in London, Europe, the US and Australia.