Spokesman of Hamas Movement Sami Abu Zuhri said Monday Al-Qassam rocket attacks on Israel were a normal response to the Israeli crimes "on our people.
"The Israeli occupation authorities got the message well. We'll never get intimidated by their threats and will never yield to their conditions," he said in a brief statement amid the rapidly-escalating confrontation.
Warning Israel, Abu Zuhri said: "We'll respond to your crimes. Unless you halt the aggression on our people, our future reaction will be far painful." He made the comments after eight Israelis were reportedly injured by a volley of rockets, fired by Ezz-Eddin Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the movement.
Israel said that more than 50 missiles hit southern Israeli towns by the nightfall, prompting large numbers of Israelis to seek refuge at underground shelters.
The rockets hit Ashdod, Ashkelon, Kiryat Malachi, Netivot and Beersheba, and reached as far as south the West Bank.
The Iron Dome anti-missile defense system intercepted 12 rockets over Netivot and Ashdod, according to Israeli sources.
Meanwhile, the Israeli Air Force launched two strikes on Al-Sudaniya area to the north of Gaza Strip and the former headquarters of the Palestinian intelligence service west Gaza City tonight.
The attacks resulted in material damage but no reports on casualties were released so far, according to local radio stations.