Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the country would ‘continue to respond forcefully’ as violence escalates between Israelis and Palestinians, during a televised statement on Saturday.

“We will continue to respond forcefully until the security of our people is reinstated and restored. We’ve eliminated dozens of Hamas terrorists and taken out hundreds of terrorist sites, including missile launchers and buildings that Hamas used to plan and perpetrate these attacks,” Netanyahu said.

He added, “Defeating Hamas does not only serve Israel’s interest, it serves the interests of all those who seek peace, stability and security in the Middle East.”

After days of clashes over the planned eviction of Palestinian families from the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood of East Jerusalem, tensions reached a boiling point when rockets were launched from Gaza into southern Israel.

The attacks were seen as retaliation for Israeli police clashes with Palestinians near al-Aqsa mosque during the holy month of Ramadan which left hundreds injured.

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) responded with hundreds of airstrikes in the Gaza strip.

Since early May, 139 Palestinians including over 30 children have been killed according to data from Gaza’s health ministry while 11 Israeli casualties have been reported.