Netanyahu says there is 'no cease-fire'

Israel's prime minister says Israel has no choice but to retaliate when faced with rocket attacks and would stop "every attempt to fire against Israel." Binyamin Netanyahu told a special Cabinet session Sunday Israel's defense policy was based on two principles: "Kill or be killed" and "He who harms you should bear the blood on his head," The Jerusalem Post reported. "I suggest Hamas, Jihad and the other organizations not test our determination to actualize the two principles I have described here," Netanyahu said. Egyptian officials had established a cease-fire between Israel and Palestinian militants in Gaza Sunday, putting an end to the weekend violence that left 10 dead, but Netanyahu said Sunday afternoon "there is no cease fire" in the South. "Hamas is the ruling power in Gaza," and it that organization's responsibility to prevent rocket fire from the Gaza Strip, even if those launching the rockets are from Islamic Jihad, Netanyahu said. About 30 rockets were fired by Islamic Jihad into southern Israel Saturday, hitting the cities of Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gan Yavne and around Be'er Sheva, Haaretz said. At least one Israeli died and 17 injuries were reported. The violence began Wednesday when a long-range Grad rocket struck near the Israeli port of Ashdod. The Israel military retaliated, launching an airstrike that killed nine Islamic Jihad militants. Two smaller Palestinian factions claimed responsibility for the attacks in addition to the Islamic Jihad, which has close ties to Iran. Abu Ahmed, leader of the armed wing of the Islamic Jihad, said the group welcomed the purported truce. "If the [Israeli] aggression is stopped, we will abide by calm," he said. Schools in southern Israel were closed Sunday as a precaution and Gaza residents were encouraged to stay indoors. Islamic Jihad militants in the Gaza Strip fired three rockets after the 6 a.m. starting time for a cease-fire established by Egyptian officials between Israel and Palestinian militants in Gaza Sunday, the Israeli military said, but since then no new violence has occurred, Haaretz reported.