After exchanging mortar shells across their border for the past week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip, that it is “prepared to act with great force” to put an end to the attacks. Netanyahu was backed up by U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates, who appeared alongside him and said, “No sovereign state can tolerate having rockets fired at its people.” Hamas, meanwhile, suggested that it wants to continue to observe an informal ceasefire, but has not renounced violence against Israel.
