"We are exacting a heavy price from Hamas and the terrorist organisations and the Israel Defence Forces are prepared for a significant expansion of the operation," he told his cabinet, in broadcast remarks.
"The soldiers are ready for any activity that could take place," AFP quoted him as saying.
He gave no specifics and made no mention of the possibility of a ground offensive.
Gaza journalists wounded in Israeli attacks
Israeli aircraft hit two Gaza media buildings on Sunday, wounding eight journalists and drawing concern from press covering the fighting between Palestinian militants and the Jewish state.
The Israeli military said the attacks were pinpoint strikes on Hamas communication devices located on the buildings' roofs, and accused the group of using reporters as human shields to try and protect their operations.
Britain's Sky News, German ARD, Saudi-owned al Arabiya, Beirut-based al Quds television and other broadcasters operate from the two buildings, which are a block apart. One employee from al Quds TV lost his leg in the early morning strike.
The attack came on the fifth day of heavy air strikes on the coastal enclave which Israel says are needed to halt repeated militant rocket launches into its territory.
The Foreign Press Association covering Israel and the Palestinian Territories issued a statement in which it expressed concern over the bombings and quoted a UN Security Council resolution that condemned attacks against journalists.
Israeli military spokeswoman Avital Leibovich denied that journalists were the target of the strike. "Hamas took a civilian building and used it for its own needs. So the journalists ... were serving as human shields for Hamas," she said.
In Gaza City, as the Israeli air force attacked from above, Israeli naval forces opened fire, launching more than a dozen shells towards the shore, an AFP correspondent reported.
Gaza invasion would cost Israel international support: UK
A ground invasion of the Gaza Strip would lose Israel much international sympathy and support, British Foreign Secretary William Hague warned Sunday.
Hague told Sky News television it was much more difficult to limit civilian casualties in a ground assault and it would threaten to prolong the conflict.
His comments came after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the armed forces were ready to "significantly expand" their operation against militants in the Hamas-run Gaza Strip as it entered its fifth day.
Britain has said that Hamas bears the principal responsibility for the crisis due to perpetual rocket attacks on Israeli territory.
But Hague said it would be hard for the international community to maintain sympathy with Israel if it launched a ground operation.
"That, of course, is a different proposition," he said.
"The prime minister (David Cameron) and I have both stressed to our Israeli counterparts that a ground invasion of Gaza would lose Israel a lot of the international support and sympathy that they have in this situation.
"It's much more difficult to restrict and avoid civilian casualties during a ground invasion and a large ground operation would threaten to prolong the conflict.
"So we have made our views very clear on that with Israel, just as we have made very clear our view that the barrage of rockets from Gaza onto southern Israel is an intolerable situation for the Israelis and it's not surprising they have responded to that.
"A ground invasion is much more difficult for the international community to sympathise with or support - including the United Kingdom."
He said Britain would like to see an agreed ceasefire, with an end to the rocket attacks being an essential component of any peace deal.
"In the absence of that ceasefire, we of course are calling on all involved to deescalate, to avoid civilian casualties and to abide by international humanitarian law," he said.
Hague said it would be a "mistake" for the Palestinians to try to gain observer status at the United Nations at this point as it would be "divisive" with the United States.
COMMENTS (38)
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"@Dr.A. K.Tewari:India should learn from Israel to deal with those who still have dream to snatch its land through arm struggle & India should also adopt the same measures to handle the Kashmir issue." If India does so then keep it in your mind and never forget it that this shall be the India's greatest ever committed mistake in 65 years' history of occupation on Kashmir and India shall face the severe music and shall also pay the biggest price of its this barbarism.Indian illegal and unlawful occupation on Kashmir doesn't mean India can/shall take this step in Kashmir like Israel took in Palestine..... Shame,curse and woe be on you......
@Dr.A. K.Tewari Yes, India should adopt the same strategy but India would not only face the army but the wrath of the all the civilians as civilians are also trained to fight with fire arms. Think before you say anything because everything has consequences.
@SOS: helo islamic jihadi, is israel killing women and children selectively? nop. both are doing same, sending rockets on other side, but in addition Israel is defending incoming missile. first ask your fellow hamas terrorists to stop sending thousands of missiles and rockets to israel without any provocation.
Don't worry Israel do whatever you want because muslim world's eunuchs,shameless and cowardice leaders especially Arabian countries leaders are sleeping and would never like to wake up from the dreams of carelessness but only would like to condemn and protest verbally and have been unable,incapable and disable to take practical steps against you except calling emergency OIC's meetings and passing resolutions but within only OIC's conference's hall......
@Cautious:
I totally agree with @Execuse me. What you (Cautious), need to understand and thoroughly imbibe is this blatant and standard Jewish taqqiya [a form of religious dissimulation, or a legal dispensation whereby a believing individual can deny his faith or commit otherwise illegal or blasphemous acts while they are at risk of significant persecution], through their strong lobbying and media control.
Why would I ever make peace with someone who invades my home and steals my property?
The blowback Israel is experiencing from having aggressively colonized Palestine is perfectly understandable. Simple justice requires that the Jews leave and find some other Zion.
There are many alternate Zions. For example, Jews have lived in Italy and Spain longer than they have in Palestine. And don't forget Brooklyn, New York...
US is a slave of Israel, even more it is the property of israel, and what ever the american people say the administration cant say a thing against them.
@Mohammad Ali Siddiqui: "Next month a severe attack on Iran is imminent." +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Whats the date?
India should also adopt the same measures to handle the Kashmir issue .
Israel's one-sided-coward-effeminate-indiscriminate-killings from the air and sea, are not the true indicators of the Israeli military power. An all out full-ground-offensive into Gaza will truly show-case the REAL COURAGE, VALOR, AND FIGHTING ABILITY OF THE IDF. On the other hand HAMAS's real strength lies in 'ground-warfare', and are well stocked and equipped for amply demonstrating all these ground assault positive military traits. Hamas’ weapons arsenal has grown deeper and wider, sporting rockets such as the new and advanced Iranian made Fajr-3, Katyusha’s/Grad’s, Anti-tank missiles, and Heavy Mortars. Each rocket holds its own advantage, such as the upgraded Grad rocket reaching a frightening range of 30 miles within Israel....One Million Israelis live under their effective range. Tel Aviv has already gotten a whiff of it, and the people out there are under severe psychological-stress for the past 5 days now with alarm sirens sounding in Tel Aviv on a regular basis...never happened here before in 40 years, but I'm sure Israel will chicken-out here by agreeing to a truce...and will still be complaining...if not, then the demographics of that region will be radically altered...!
@Excuse me: Excellent article and as close to the truth as anything I have read. Further to what you said, I cannot recall one balanced viewpoint on the Israeli/Palestine issue emanating either from elected representatives or news media outlets of the various Western countries. I also think that most of the worst problems in regard to policy and so called news on this issue come from Washington and US media which have to be, without doubt, totally controlled by Zionist interests.
@Excuse me
Rubbish. Except for the title of a few articles there isn't any substantive difference between Al Jazeera, BBC and CNN. News is news and your conspiratorial theory that Jews control the press is nonsense.
@ Cautious
How can a liberal justify violence? Israel builds settlements which are illegal - declared by UN.
Israel refuses to recede to the pre 1967 positions and says we have a right to defend ourselves?
Defending occupied territories?
Hamas is a criminal organization, but does that justify Israel's violence?
Main question is, who started rocket attacks in Israel? There are many on both sides of the border who want to keep this tit for tat remain forever. It is time for the region and the world to understand that Palestine issue should be solved as soon as possible. Nothing is impossible if there is a will between all stake holders.
Its astonishing that the press and specially the American press and political system are tightly controlled on all issues related to Israel. The US has only pro-Israel politicians and pro-Israel news and editorial opinions. Decades of intense effort, funding and blackmail have paid off. The result is an American public cowed and brainwashed into naive support of Israel. Americans have been relentlessly propagandized into believing that a supposedly "democratic" Israel is a US "ally" and the only "stable" country in the Middle East. (All of these premises are open to serious question.)
Obama responds like a Pavlovian dog to endorse whatever new outrage the theocratic regime in Israel decides to impose on the helpless Palestinian population. Interestingly, ALMOST NOBODY outside of the USA and Israel sees this Israel-as-hero narrative as anything other than a distorted joke. Why is that? The Israel lobby in the USA would have you believe that the whole world outside the USA is composed of snarling antisemites. Or could it be that people in Europe and elsewhere have better access to unfiltered news and opinions and have not been subjected to the system of pro-Israel brainwashing that controls the political system and the media in this country
@Janu German: Congratulations. Obama said exactly the same thing today. You may now apply for US visa if you are not already in there.
ll these war crimes are supported by “The Champions of Democracy
India should learn from Israel to deal with those who still have dream to snatch its land through arm struggle .
All these people supporting the aggression and some who believe its the right, can I please ask you to go over the web or into books of history and try to find how the country was created, why was it created and then try to ascertain why is this happening - I cannot stress the importance of peace but I can also not believe that a country has the right to to defend when it was created as a defence in first place rather there should be rights given to either sides to leave in peace - if this escalates now, we are seeing a bigger groups created out of two and with due respect to someone talking about Pakistan's role, I think you need to grow up a little more to start talking some maturity
@Gaurav
No doubt your not serving in the military. You won't find any Arabs who were old enough to fight Israel in the prior wars who are promoting another war - you won't find any Arab leaders who want to start a war with Israel - it's always young macho guys who haven't had the thrill of seeing the friends blown up on the battlefield. If your determined to fight - join the Pakistani military and start by taking back control of Pakistani territory.
Israeli elections are due in January and this is Netanyahu's re-election strategy. This strategy is old but if Israel pulls off a decisive win or appears in the media to have done so, then Netanyahu will get re-elected. Its a gamble but the odds are heavily in his favour.
What is Pakistan Army doing, sleeping
What more the world community can undertake against the people who have suffered slavery at the hands of the Pharaoh, denegration at the hands of the Romans which ended in Massada and have suffered at the hands of the Europeans which culminated in a holocaust. Read what Voltair said about these volks to Cicero, and what the Nobel Prize Literature German writer said about Israel, whose nuclear armed submarines are roaming in the Persian gulf. Even the Iron Dome cannot give them the sleep which we all need to recoup.
Rex Minor
@Ali Ashfaq
Typical anti American Pakistani blather - long on emotion - short on facts. Obama was the first out of the gate to try and bring about a cease fire - put pressure on both Egypt and Turkey to influence Hamas to stop firing missiles which was publicly rebuffed. The USA position on Israel is no different than the rest of the security council - has actively opposed settlements and has spent more time/effort in mediation efforts than the rest of the World combined. I might add that Pakistan has never lifted a finger to try to mediate this conflict or anything else for that matter.
@Janu German: yeah everyone has the right to declare his weak enemy as terrorist and kill him as well his women and children.
Lets worry about peace and prosperity in Pakistan. Palestinians and Israelis have been fighting for ages and will have to find peace themselves. For record -- the Palestinians voted against Kashmir resolution in Islamic Summit.
Next month a severe attack on Iran is imminent.
Israel has a right to protect its population against the invading rockets from terrorists and in taking action that will be pre-emptive !
Pakistan has a right to protect itself from those that blow themselves in the middle of markets and mosques killing hundreds..
India has the right to protect its populace from any terrorists that would launch attack on its soil.. either within or from across the border.
Never let terrorists terrorise the innocent.
Land grabbers at the best.
Nethanyu is nothing more than a war mongering fool. I feel for the people of Israel who genuinely want piece but are held hostage to his right wing policies. With the election coming up, what better way to gain votes than to start a 'war' with Hamas. World leaders are losing patience with Israel...
Ye Zulm ki raat jitni gehri or kaali hogi Subh utni he Roshan hogi... Israel should prepare for the Worst consequences..!
Both sides must take a step back and think about the non-combatants who needlessly pay the price.
Israel activated 75,000 reservist - pretty good sign that they are going to initiate a land offensive. Concerns over Iranian supplied long distance missiles combined with new intel implying that some of the long distance missiles may have been made locally will add to Israels concerns/paranoia. Eliminating of the missiles, tunnels, and manufacturing facilities may override Israel concern about international image - seems like things are going to get worse before they get better.
Shall we declare this coming Friday as Youm-e-Ishq-Gaza. To facilitate our solidarity with the ummah, it should be a public holiday!
One of these days Messrs. Cameron, Obama, Hague will say something intelligent. I have given up on Mr. Netanyahu completely. The Palestinian issue could be solved relatively easily, but nobody in the West wishes it to happen.
Simultanously, talks on the possibility of a truce to end few days of violence in and around Gaza are under way, and a deal could be reached any time. As per some reliable source,there are serious talks to reach a truce, and it is possible that understandings will be reached soon. Such opinion was also confirmed by an Egyptian security source, who said: "Egypt has continued meetings and intensive communication with all parties to reach a truce as quickly as possible. "We have reached important understandings but we still have a little way to go in order to complete the truce agreement in order to achieve security and stability and... ensure it doesn't happen again." A source close to the negotiations revealed that a series of meetings were being held in Cairo between the Palestinian factions, involving both Hamas politburo chief Khaled Meshaal and Islamic Jihad leader Ramadan Shallah. Let us hope for the best as war is not solution to any conflict or problem.
There is no stopping the war this time. It will engulf the world !!
All these war crimes are supported by "The Champions of Democracy"