Harriet Sherwood: Israel Will Launch Gaza Offensive Sooner or Later!

A new Israeli military offensive against Gaza will be launched "sooner or later", and will be "swift and painful", Israel's most senior military officer has warned. Benny Gantz, the chief of staff of the Israel Defense Forces, was speaking on the third anniversary of the start of a major three-week assault on Gaza, during which around 1,400 Palestinians and 13 Israelis were killed. That offensive was "an excellent operation that achieved deterrence for Israel vis-a-vis Hamas", Gantz told Army Radio on Tuesday. He added that there were signs that the deterrent effect was wearing thin. "Sooner or later, there will be no escape from conducting a significant operation," he said. "The IDF knows how to operate in a determined, decisive and offensive manner against terrorists in the Gaza Strip." Within hours of Gantz's comments, the Israeli military launched two airstrikes on Gaza, killing one person and injuring 10, according to local reports. A spokesman for the IDF said direct hits on two "terrorist squads with global jihad associations" had been confirmed. According to security officials quoted by Israel Radio, one of the targets was a cell en route to Sinai with the intention of launching an attack on Israel from Egypt. Since the end of the Gaza war in January 2009, Hamas has attempted to enforce a ceasefire among militant groups, although sporadic rocket fire has continued. Israel ho;ds Hamas, as the de facto government, responsible for all rocket fire emanating from Gaza. There have been suggestions in recent weeks that Hamas is ready to distance itself further from attacks on Israel as part of its reconciliation process with its rival faction Fatah!