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Hamas has said that Israeli air strike in Gaza which killed Ahmed Jabari, the head of its military wing, "has opened the gates of hell".
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Jabari, who is the most senior Hamas official to be killed since an Israeli invasion of Gaza four years ago, was killed in an air strike on a vehicle, in a dramatic resumption of Israel's policy of assassinating Palestinian militant leaders.
Jabari has long topped Israel's most-wanted list, the Associated Press reported, and was blamed for in a string of attacks, including the kidnapping of Israeli soldier Gilad Schalit in 2006.
His son was also reportedly killed in the targeted air strike, according to Osama Hamdan, a Hamas representative in Lebanon, talking to Al Jazeera in Doha.
"We will respond [to the assassination], this I have to say clearly," he said.
"The Israelis are working to target the local leaders and political leaders in Gaza. We are expecting acts and reactions from the Palestinians."
The network also spoke to Avital Leibovitch, an IDF spokesman, who confirmed Jabari was targeted.
"The first target we targeted was Ahmad Jabari. A short time ago we completed another phase in the operation which included 20 different targets of rocket launcher pads," Leibovitch said.
"Israel is exercising its right to protect itself, and Jabari has a lot of Israeli blood on his hands."
At least six Gazans were killed in more than 20 Israeli air strikes, according to Hamas.
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SOURCE: The Telegraph
Barney Henderson and Chris Irvine
