Gaza Violence: Hague Condemns Hamas Attacks

Foreign Secretary William Hague has said the militant group Hamas bears the "principal responsibility" for the spiralling violence between Gaza and southern Israel.

Mr Hague condemned rocket attacks on Israel from Gaza today and said he is "gravely concerned" about the escalation of tension.

Three people were killed in the Israeli town of Kiryat Malahi when a rocket struck an apartment building.

The casualties were the first since Israel attacked targets in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, killing Hamas' top military commander.

Mr Hague said Hamas should cease its attacks on southern Israel immediately and called on Israel to do its utmost to reduce tension and avoid civilian casualties.

"It is imperative to avoid a spiral of violence. The escalation of this conflict would be in no one's interest, particularly at a time of instability in the region," he said.

Other world leaders have urged Israel to show restraint after prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu threatened to "expand" military operations in Gaza following the killing of Ahmed al Jaabari.

The head of Hamas' military wing Ahmed al Jaabari who was killed

Egypt's President Mohamed Morsi has rejected what he called Israel's aggression in Gaza, saying it threatened to destabilise the region.

Egypt's Islamist administration, which has close ties with the Hamas movement, recalled its ambassador on Wednesday in protest at the Israeli operation.

US President Barack Obama and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon have both telephoned Mr Netanyahu ahead of an urgent UN Security Council meeting on the deteriorating situation.

According to the White House, Mr Obama reiterated US support for Israel's right to self-defence against rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip but urged Israel to avoid civilian casualties in the Palestinian territory.

They agreed that Hamas must stop the attacks, which have seen more than 120 rockets fired into Israel over the last five days, in order to allow tensions to ease.

Mr Ban told the Israeli PM of his expectation that "Israeli reactions are measured so as not to provoke a new cycle of bloodshed," the UN said.

He also expressed his concerns about "an alarming escalation of indiscriminate rocket fire from Gaza into Israel".

So far, at least seven people, including Mr Jaabari, have been killed in more than 50 Israeli airstrikes - codenamed Operation Pillar Of Defence. Two young children were also among the dead.

A car destroyed by a rocket fired by Palestinian militants

The Israeli military is ready, if necessary, to send ground troops into Gaza, according to its official Twitter account. It has also been authorised to call up army reserve units.

In a televised address, Mr Netanyahu said: "If it becomes necessary, we are prepared to expand the operation.

"We will not tolerate a situation in which Israeli citizens are threatened by rocket fire."

Defence minister Ehud Barak, appearing with the prime minister, said: "We are at the beginning of the event, and not the end."

Palestinian militants said the airstrikes had opened "the gates of hell" for the Jewish state.

Police spokeswoman Luba Samri said another 55 rockets had been fired at Israel in the aftermath of the airstrike that killed Mr Jaabari.

Gaza's Hamas government welcomed the decision of Egypt, one of only two Arab countries to have a peace treaty with Israel, to pull out its envoy and urged Arab leaders to take "decisive action".

Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhum said: "The occupation committed a dangerous crime and crossed all the red lines, which is considered a declaration of war."

The emergency Security Council meeting came at the request of Egypt, Morocco and the Palestinians.

"Once again the international community is witness to Israel's malicious onslaught, using the most lethal military means and illegal measures against the defenceless Palestinian civilian population," the Palestinian Authority's UN envoy, Riyad Mansour, told the Council.

"A direct firm message must be sent to Israel to cease immediately its military campaign against the Palestinian people and to abide ... by its obligations under international law."

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