Israel Vows To Destroy Hamas Tunnels

APA U.N worker cleans the garbage at the courtyard of the Abu Hussein U.N. school, in Jebaliya refugee camp, northern Gaza Strip, Wednesday, July 30, 2014. The U.N. condemned the attack at the school on Wednesday, with Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon calling it “outrageous” and “unjustifiable.” Israel said no U.N. facility had been intentionally targeted, but troops had responded to Hamas mortar fire nearby.

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says the military will dismantle the Hamas tunnel network in the Gaza Strip "with or without a cease-fire."

Netanyahu said Thursday he will not accept any truce that won't allow Israel to complete its mission of destroying the sophisticated tunnel network, which has been used to carry out deadly attacks inside Israel.

Israel launched its air campaign on July 8 to stop unrelenting rocket fire from Gaza toward Israel. It expanded the operation with a ground offensive on July 17 with the primary purpose of blocking Hamas infiltration attempts through the tunnels.