Deputy Defense Minister Danny Danon said in an interview today that Hamas is asking its citizens to stay home, despite the air force's bombings and dire warnings.
During the operation, the IDF operates under the "tap on the roof" procedure, according to which the IDF informs the occupants of the houses by firing a flare on the roof that the house is about to be bombed. However, Hamas asks its people not to respond to the announcement, to remain in the house and thus essentially serve as human shields.
Deputy Defense Minister Danon noted that Israel is paying a heavy price for being a democratic state that cannot bomb civilians indiscriminately, as Hamas does.
The bombing of homes in Gaza is hurting Hamas' leadership. The spokesman for the organization's military wing warned that "if Israel does not stop its policy of bombing homes in the Gaza Strip, we will expand the range of the fire.".
The Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades also made it clear that the bombing of houses is an 'escalation' and will result in firing on Israel's main cities. The era in which houses were attacked and we did not respond is over, they said. "The targeting of civilian homes constitutes a serious escalation.".
With the opening of the operation, the IDF struck a house in Khan Yunis where six people were staying, including two children who were killed on the spot. Hamas published the photos and called the operation the 'Khan Yunis massacre.' PA President Mahmoud Abbas also condemned the IDF operation, claiming that it was carrying out a 'massacre of a people.'.
The IDF emphasized that the residents of the house received advance warning, and chose to stay despite the warning.
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