Airstrike kills wife, child of Hamas figure

JERUSALEM (AP) - Hamas' shadowy military chief escaped an airstrike that killed his wife and 2-year-old son, the militant group said Wednesday as Israel's prime minister warned that the airstrikes in Gaza will continue until rocket fire out of the Palestinian territory stops.

The tough talk from Benjamin Netanyahu set the stage for what could be a protracted period of fighting following the collapse of cease-fire talks in Cairo on Tuesday.

In a nationally televised address, Netanyahu showed little willingness to return to the negotiating table and said the six-week war against Hamas had inflicted unprecedented damage on the Islamic militant group.

"We are determined to continue the campaign with all means and as is needed," he said, his defense minister by his side. "We will not stop until we secure full security and quiet for the residents of the south and all citizens of Israel."

More than 2,000 Palestinians have been killed in the fighting, most of them civilians, according to U.N. and Palestinian medical officials. Sixty-seven people have died on the Israeli side, all but three of them soldiers.

A six-day temporary truce collapsed into heavy fighting after Egyptian-mediated talks broke down without an agreement on an extended cease-fire. Hamas has demanded an end to an Israeli-Egyptian blockade of Gaza. Israel has demanded that Hamas disarm.

Palestinian militants launched dozens of rockets into Israel, while Israel carried out numerous airstrikes across Gaza. One airstrike on a Gaza City home killed a wife and son of Hamas' military chief, Mohammed Deif.

After remaining quiet for most of the day, Hamas officials announced that Deif was not present in the targeted home and was still alive. Deif has survived multiple assassination attempts, lives in hiding and is believed to be paralyzed from previous attempts on his life.

Abu Obeida, the spokesman for Hamas' military wing, said Israel was "unable to get to our commander Deif," adding that he will "lead the army that will enter to liberate the holy al-Aqsa mosque" in Jerusalem.