After more than two years of relative peace, the Israeli Defense Forces announced the beginning of a larger military campaign against militant organizations in Gaza, and fired a series of rockets into the city. The rockets killed Ahmed Jabari, the head of the military wing of Hamas, the group that rules Gaza, as well as several others. He is the most senior Hamas official killed since Israel's last war in Gaza in 2009.

Hamas fired rockets back into Israel, but Israelis say that their Iron Dome defense system intercepted 13 of these rockets.

Tensions between Israel and Palestinian militants have been high in recent days after a Palestinian militant group claimed responsibility for an attack on an Israeli Army jeep that wounded four soldiers.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel was prepared to escalate the operation, including a possible ground offensive.

"The matter has definitely not ended. And we will decide how and when to act at the time when there will be a need," said Ehud Barak, the Israeli defense minister.

Hamas does not appear willing to back down either.

"The Islamist and nationalist parties have the right to resist the Zionist occupation and to confront its aggression by all available means," said Sami Abu Zuhri of Hamas.

"The goal of the operation is to defend Israeli people and also target and cripple those terror organizations responsible for the ongoing rocket fire, namely Hamas, Islamic Jihad and others," - Lt. Col. Avital Leibovich, Israeli Defense Forces.

"Ahmed al-Jabari has long worked and waited for this day. Today, he is getting his victory as a martyr. Our Zionist enemy will, God willing, pay a price for this cowardly assassination," - Khalil al-Haya, Hamas official.

1. Where is Gaza?

2. What is the dispute between the Israeli government and the Palestinian government?

1. Do you think the international community should intervene in the violence? Why or why not?

2. What would you do to reduce tensions between the two sides?