Israeli President Reuven Rivlin on Thursday defended airstrikes by Israeli forces on targets in Gaza, arguing they were necessary to meed the threat posed by Hamas militants.
Rivlin was responding to criticism from human rights groups alleging that recent attacks had resulted in civilian casualties, specifically the deaths of four Palestinians on Wednesday, two of whom were identified as Hamas operatives.
Rivlin said in a speech that Israel could not stand by in the face of terror, and said that Hamas’s actions in trying to launch rockets into Israel constituted a threat to the safety of Israeli citizens.
He noted that though Israel had faced strict criticism for these attacks, the government had put into place numerous measures to reducecivilian casualties, such as providing early warning to families to evacuate the area.
Rivlin also noted that Hamas had not worked according to international humanitarian laws, and that it continued to use innocent civilians as human shields.
The president further defended Israel’s right to defend itself, noting that Israel had made all possible efforts to mitigate the civilian casualties caused by the strikes. He also said that Israel’s fight against terror was an important part of ensuring peace and stability in the embattled region.
“We are fighting terror in Gaza, a terror that does not encourage peace and stability,” Rivlin said. “The State of Israel will not remain silent in the face of those attempting to hurt its citizens.”
Rivlin’s speech came amid growing pressure from human rights organizations and international governments, who have urged both sides to come to a peaceful resolution to the conflict that has raged between Israel and the Gaza Strip since 2007.
