A spokesman for Hamas said its militants will start killing one civilian hostage every time Israel strikes hit Palestinian civilians in their homes in Gaza.

Video of the killings of hostages will be broadcast, said Abu Obeida, spokesman of the Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas.

“We declare that we will respond to any targeting of our people who are safe in their homes without warning, with the execution of our civilian hostages, and we will broadcast it with audio and video,” Mr. Obeida said, according to a translation of his message. 

Hamas, the Palestinian militant group that rules Gaza, launched a surprise terrorist assault on Israel Saturday morning. The group used a multi-pronged attack, shooting rockets and taking Israeli soldiers and civilians captive, which led Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to declare war on the group.

Earlier Monday, Mr. Netanyahu said the country’s defense against Hamas was “just getting started.”

More than a thousand people have died in the brutal terror attacks on Israeli civilians, including women and children slaughtered in their homes, and the ensuing retaliatory airstrikes on Gaza.

• Mallory Wilson can be reached at mwilson@washingtontimes.com.