Israel threatens to retaliate against future bids to kidnap soldiers

GAZA, Dec 30 (KUNA) -- Israel Friday threatened to fiercely retaliate against any attempt by the Palestinian factions to kidnap soldiers in future.
"Israel will retaliate fiercely against any abduction of a soldier of the defense army in future just like what happened to Gilad Shalit," the Israeli radio quoted what it called "senior" political source as saying.
He was referring to Shalit's abduction by three Palestinian factions in Gaza. The Israeli soldier was kept in an unknown location in Gaza and was released in exchange of 1,055 Palestinian prisoners.
The Israeli source said the Israeli mini-cabinet has recently taken a decision to launch a military offensive against any abductee.
He said the "rules of the game have changed," and the price would be very high.
Shalit's exchange deal has encouraged more Palestinian factions to consider capturing Israeli soldiers.
A number of Hamas senior officials have recently threatened to kidnap more Israeli soldiers to bring about release of Palestinian prisoners.
Meanwhile, the Israeli artillery bombarded the eastern outskirts of Zaitoon neighborhood in southeast Gaza City. No one was hurt.

Israel threatens