JERUSALEM: Israeli President Isaac Herzog said that the Hamas militant group “seeks to incite hatred” between the Jewish and Arab citizens amid the raging war.
“The enemy seeks to incite hatred within us – between Jewish citizens and Arab citizens. Such attempts must be fought uncompromisingly and unequivocally. We must eradicate any incarnation of enmity, racism and violence towards different groups within us,” CNN quoted Herzog as saying during an address late Wednesday night.
The President also underscored the important role played by Arab citizens in Israel.
“Remember that there are dozens of Arab citizens here who paid with their lives in the terrible massacre, and as part of the security forces and the IDF. Remember the mutual responsibility as displayed by the overwhelming majority of the Arab society in Israel.”
Herzog also warned against what he called a “psychological campaign” being conducting against Israel.
“They want to scare us with videos, rumors, and lies. They try to undermine us psychologically, to hurt our personal and national spirit. We will not let them succeed.”
The President added that the return of the hostages remains “an integral part of the success of this campaign – of course – alongside victory in this decisive war against the enemy and restoring security to all Israeli citizens”, CNN reports.
Herzog’s address came hours after the Jabaliya refugee camp in Gaza — the largest in the enclave — came under attack for a second day.
The Israeli Defense Forces confirmed that its jets “struck a Hamas command and control complex” in Jabaliya’s Falluja neighbourhood on Wednesday, reports CNN.
The military added that “Hamas terrorists were eliminated in the strike”.
“Hamas deliberately builds its terror infrastructure under, around and within civilian buildings, intentionally endangering Gazan civilians,” the IDF said.
The IDF also urged people in the neighbourhood to leave, while reiterating its call for civilians in northern Gaza to evacuate to the southern part of the enclave.
Speaking to CNN on Wednesday after the attack, Atef Al Kahlout, the director of Gaza’s Indonesian hospital, said that at least 80 bodies were brought to the facility and more were being dug out of the debris.
He said the majority of the casualties were women and children, adding that hundreds more people were injured.
The first Israeli strike on the Jabalya refugee camp on Tuesday also killed a large number of people, according to eyewitnesses and medics there.
Israel, however defended its action and said that strike targeted and killed a top Hamas commander.
But Hamas strongly denied the presence of one of its leaders in the camp.
