'HAMAS WILL LEARN THE HARD WAY'

Israeli warning over attacks on its soldiers But official insists it still supports ceasefire

- BY DAN WARBURTON

ISRAEL has warned Hamas against further attacks on soldiers after a breakout of fighting that threatened to derail the fragile Gaza ceasefire.

The militant group killed two troops in Rafah, sparking a wave of retaliatory strikes across the Strip by the Israeli Defence Forces causing at least 36 deaths, local health officials said.

Israel insisted it was committed to the ceasefire but defence minister Israel Katz told how he had instructed the IDF to act “forcefully against Hamas targets in Gaza” after he accused it of “blatantly violating” the terms.

He added: “Hamas will learn the hard way that the IDF is determined to protect its soldiers and prevent any harm to them.