Defense Minister on tour of Gaza Strip: Hamas not interested in further escalation

Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon toured the communities in the Gaza sector and the Sderot factory that was hit by rocket fire and said: “Hamas is not interested in further escalation and is relaying these messages through Egypt.”

He added that “the rocket fire is unacceptable. Hamas operates most of the year against the sources that fire (at Israel) and enforces the understandings reached after Operation Pillar of Defense.”

Meanwhile, a security source updated the investigation into the kidnapping, saying that “using the kidnapping as a bargaining chip to release soldiers has failed.”

Searches after the kidnapped teens continued on Monday north of Hebron. Two relatives of the suspects involved in the kidnapping were arrested earlier today. (Yoav Zitun)