Has the countdown to next Hamas-Israel war begun?
Both Israel and Hamas claim not to want another battle, but both are loudly preparing for one.
Israel and Hamas have been escalating their war of words, which observers on both sides fear could turn into violence.
Gaza has yet to recover from the destruction of the last war with Israel in the summer of 2014, when more than 178,000 houses were destroyed or damaged, which makes any upcoming war between Israel and the Palestinians seem too early and premature.
After a flurry of contentious statements in February, the situation calmed in March as both Hamas and Israel stopped talking about a possible fourth Israeli-Gaza war, and both showed a desire to quiet their people and reassure them that no confrontation would break out anytime soon.
But on April 14, an anonymous senior Israeli officer made an unprecedented statement about Israel Defense Forces (IDF) plans for the next potential military confrontation with Hamas in Gaza. Israeli media reported that the official was a prominent source from the IDF leadership in the southern area.
