Hamas PM’s office blasted, Israel to do "everything possible"

Striking at the heart of Palestinian government, Israeli Air Force today fired missiles at the Gaza office of Hamas Premier Ismail Hanieh and set it ablaze, even as Prime Minister Ehud Olmert ordered military to do "everything possible" against "terrorists" to secure the release of a captured teenage soldier.

"My government has instructed the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) and security establishment to do everything in order to bring Gilad," Olmert told a weekly cabinet meeting, hours after the early morning missile strike at Hanieh’s Gaza strip office on the sixth day of operations to press the release of 19-year-old Gilad Shalit.

"And when I say everything, I mean everything, whatever is possible, whatever is necessary," he added.

He said the forces have been ordered "to act with all their might to pursue terrorists, their ideologists and those who offer them protection."

In another Israeli strike today, a Hamas operative was killed in Jabalya refugee camp.

The attack on Hanieh’s office, which was empty, came evan as Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas said efforts were on to free Gilad, who was taken away by militants last Sunday in a raid on an army post after killing two servicemen.

"While we regret any harm to the Palestinian population, we are responsible for the peace of the state of Israel and its citizens," Olmert said, adding, "it is out of this responsibility that we will strike at anyone who tries to hurt us, nobody will be exempt."

"These are difficult days for Israel but we have no intention of giving into blackmail. Everyone understands that giving into terrorism today only encourages terrorism in the future," the Israeli Prime Minister said.

Describing Palestinian militants "bloodthirsty gang of terrorists", Olmert blamed them for bringing suffering to the Palestinian masses.

Defence Minister Amir Peretz has instructed that the Karni crossing be opened today to facilitate the passage of fuel and essential supplies for the Palestinian masses, he added.

Olmert said that he has instructed the security establishment to increase the strength of their actions against Palestinian militants, their dispatchers, ideologues and sponsors.

One bystander was injured in the raids on Haniyeh`s office.

The Israel defence forces said it deliberately targeted the Hamas government as it wanted to convey to its senior officials that it held the organisation directly responsible for Shalit’s kidnapping on June 25.

"The army would employ all means at its disposal to secure the safe return of the soldier", it said.

Haniyeh condemned the attack as "senseless" while inspecting the damage in the attack. "They have targeted a symbol for the Palestinian people," he said.

The IDF alleged that the Palestinian operatives were "planning terror attacks against Israel."