Israeli President Reuven Rivlin has defended the country’s recent airstrikes in Gaza, saying “we are fighting terror.” Rivlin’s comments came after Israeli forces launched strikes on several Hamas targets in Gaza in retaliation for a barrage of rockets fired from the Palestinian territory. At least two Palestinians have been killed in the strikes.
Rivlin said during an address on Wednesday that “we rely on our own right of self-defense, and demand that the international community join us in this fight against the terror of Hamas.” The Israeli president also criticized the international community for “not doing enough” to address the ongoing conflict in the region.
Rivlin added that “Israel will not tolerate the use of violence and terror against its citizens” and that the country “will do anything needed to keep its citizens safe.” He concluded by calling on all sides to “avoid further escalation and make every effort to prevent an all-out conflict.”
