Netanyahu promises ‘very powerful’ response if ceasefire broken

Israeli prime minister met with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken following the 11-day Gaza bombardment.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has promised a “very powerful response” if Hamas breaks a ceasefire that ended a deadly 11-day bombardment of the Gaza Strip. Netanyahu made the comment in West Jerusalem on Tuesday during a joint press conference with American Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who travelled to the region to bolster the initial ceasefire agreement. The Israeli prime minister thanked the United States for “firmly supporting Israel’s right to self-defence” during the violence, in which Israeli air strikes killed at least 248 Palestinians, including 66 children, in Gaza.