SINGAPORE: The Israeli Ambassador to Singapore, Ilan Ben-Dov, says it is a failure and a tragedy that civilians are being hurt in attacks targetting the Hamas.

He also says Israel does not want Gaza to have a humanitarian crisis, but that the offensive will continue for now.

He said: "We've defined the aim as very modest - to stop the threat of, and to stop the capability of Hamas in launching those missiles on Israeli citizens. And to change the rules of the game, to change the reality that exists until today, it may take a few days or even more than this."

Mr Ben-Dov says despite the attacks, the Israeli government is maintaining a political process with the Palestinian government, headed by President Mahmoud Abbas.

He said: "The solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is not and will not be a military solution. It is certainly going to be a political solution, a political compromise."

- CNA/yt