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Official representative of Israeli Foreign Ministry: â€œWe will not allow HAMAS to respire and fire at Israel againâ€ â€“ EXCLUSIVE

Official representative of Israeli Foreign Ministry: â€œWe will not allow HAMAS to respire and fire at Israel againâ€ â€“ <font color=red>EXCLUSIVE </font>

05 January 2009 12:19 (UTC +04:00)

Official representative of Israeli Foreign Ministry Mikhail Brodsky told APA that such reports were methods of psychological war, by these means Palestinians wanted to exert pressure on Israel. Mikhail Brodsky said Israeli areas underwent fire after the army entered Gaza Strip.
â€œ40 air strikes were made on Israeli area yesterday, air strikes still continue today. Fortunately, no one died, but some were slightly injured,â€ he said.

Speaking about the losses of Israeli army, the diplomat said a soldier was killed, some soldiers were seriously wounded, over 10 soldiers slightly wounded on January 4.
â€œSeveral HAMAS terrorists were rendered harmless in Gaza Strip. The operation is underway. The goal is to end HAMASâ€™ firing at Israel,â€ he said.

Mikhail Brodsky confirmed that Israel had rejected some statesâ€™ proposals to mediate.
â€œYesterday special representative of Russian President Alexander Saltanov offered mediation on behalf of his country, but Israel rejected the proposal. France also made such a proposal. We think that there is no need for mediatorsâ€™ assistance now, because the operation is underway. The operation may be stopped only after HAMAS strikes are ceased once and for all. This is the main goal of the operation. Israelâ€™s area has undergone fire by Gaza Strip for eight years. It will not suffice, if HAMAS says the fire has been ceased, because they will begin again in two days. From now on we want to ensure Israelâ€™s security and are not going to allow HAMAS to respire, be armed and fire at Israel,â€ he said.