Israel unleashed its heaviest bombardment against Hamas of the three-weeks of Operation Protective Edge.  Missiles struck symbols of Hamas' control in Gaza and shut down Gaza’s only power plant in a volley of tank shells.  At least 100 Palestinians were killed.

The heavy strikes on the power plant and on residential targets came a day after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned of a “prolonged” campaign against Hamas.  He’s vowing to stop the Hamas rocket and mortar fire that has reached increasingly deeper into its territory and to destroy a sophisticated network of tunnels that have been used by the militants to infiltrate the Jewish state.  Hamas rejected another truce proposal, this one coming from the Palestinian Authority.

“There is not going to be a cease-fire as long as the demands of our people are not fulfilled,” said Hamas military wing’s leader Mohammed Deif on Gaza’s TV station.  Those demands include opening the border crossings and ending the economic blockade on Gaza.

Gaza TV also aired video of Hamas fighters ascending from a tunnel into Israeli territory and staging an attack.

Palestinian officials now say more than 1,200 people – the vast majority of whom were civilians – have been killed in the fighting.  Israel has lost 53 soldiers and three civilians – two Israelis and a Thai worker.