Netanyahu threatens to assassinate Palestinian leaders

JERUSALEM

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday threatened to assassinate Palestinian resistance leaders in the Gaza Strip.

“Hamas and Islamic Jihad [groups] must realize that what happened to them last time will become doubled and tripled now, including the targeting," Netanyahu said, referring to Israel's assassination of a prominent Islamic Jihad commander in last November.

Netanyahu warned Hamas that Israel considers every incendiary balloon as missiles.

"We have been hitting Hamas since 11 nights, and we will do much more if necessary,” he said.

The Israeli army has intensified its raids on Gaza over the past week along with tightening the blockade on Gaza where it banned entry of fuel for Gaza's sole power plant, making the Palestinian territory plunge into darkness.

An Egyptian security delegation was in Gaza two days ago in an effort to restore truce between Palestinian factions and Israel.

*Ahmed Asmar contributed to this report from Ankara