GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — Tensions were high in Gaza after the Israeli government's June 30 announcement of the discovery of the bodies of three kidnapped settlers. At dawn on July 1, Israeli warplanes launched more than 20 sorties, bombing 36 targets, including military sites and agricultural lands in the southern, central and northern Gaza Strip, injuring four civilians.

Among those hurt were Ataya al-Shaer, who works as a guard west of Khan Yunis in the settlement areas vacated by Israel in 2005. He told Al-Monitor, “We saw the aircraft and naval warships bombard the area from every direction. I went outside the guards’ room with two others, and we stayed in an empty agricultural area. We came back after half an hour, and this is when the room was bombed. Columns and walls fell over us, and we lost consciousness.”

Shaer sustained bruises all over his body, as did his colleague Suleiman Zourob, who also described their experience, “We spent more than an hour under the rubble, until the bombing stopped, and the neighbors from the region came to rescue us from under the ruins. We thought we were going to die, but God saved us,” Zourob said.

Also on July 1, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced how his government intended to move against Hamas, which he blamed for the kidnapping. Netanyahu explained, “[The first task of the government is] to reach the murderers and all those who participated in the kidnapping. … [The second task is to] vigorously strike at Hamas members and infrastructures in Judea and Samaria [the West Bank], … [and the third task is to] act against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. He added, “If need be, we will expand the campaign.”