'We are going to change the Middle East,' says Israeli premier

JERUSALEM

About the ongoing conflict in the region, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday said: “We are going to change the Middle East."

According to a written statement from the Israeli Prime Minister's Office, Netanyahu met with the local administrators of the settlements around Gaza, which were attacked by Palestinian armed groups in the blockaded Gaza Strip.

“What Hamas will go through will be tough and terrible, we’re already in the midst of the campaign and we’ve only just begun. I ask that you stand steadfast because we are going to change the Middle East,” Netanyahu said.

The Gaza-based resistance group Hamas launched Operation Al-Aqsa Flood against Israel early Saturday, firing a barrage of rockets. It said the surprise attack was in response to the storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem and increased settler violence.

In retaliation, the Israeli army launched Operation Swords of Iron against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

The number of Palestinians killed by the Israeli forces in Gaza has risen to 560, the Gaza-based Health Ministry said on Monday amid ongoing fighting. It also said the number of injured people surged to 2,900.

The Interior Ministry in Gaza said the Israeli army has "intensified its aggression" on Gaza with hundreds of raids.

The Israeli army said it had struck over 500 targets in overnight raids on Gaza, which they claimed were targets belonging to the Hamas and Islamic Jihad groups.

At least 800 Israelis have been killed and over 2,300 others wounded in the fighting, according to the Israeli Health Ministry.

* Writing by Seda Sevencan