Hamas warns Israel not to ‘change the status quo’ after airstrikes

Hamas says it will not allow Israel to “change the status quo,” after Israeli planes struck several sites belonging to the terror group in Gaza in retaliation for earlier rocket fire into Israel on Monday.

“The continual targeting of facilities and sites belonging to [Hamas] and the intentional exploding of the situation in Gaza cannot be allowed, nor the imposition of any new status quo, whatever the cost,” Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum says in a statement posted to the group’s official website.

He adds: “Hamas holds Israel fully responsible for this continuing dangerous escalation on Gaza and its people.”

Gaza’s Health Ministry spokesperson Ashraf Al-Qedra says four Gazans were moderately injured by Israeli airstrikes today east of Rafah.

Monday morning’s rocket attack against Israel also comes two and a half weeks after a number of cross-border exchanges between Israel and terrorist groups inside the Gaza Strip, which raised concerns of potential renewed conflict between the IDF and Hamas.

— Dov Lieber