Israel must decide how long anti-Hamas operation should last - German govt spokesperson

It is up to Israel to decide how long its anti-Hamas military operation will last, a German government spokesperson said on Wednesday.

"We are in a situation in which a terrorist organisation has not only attacked but continues to attack Israel," the spokesperson told a regular government press conference in response to a question about U.N. calls for a ceasefire in Gaza.

"It is for now an issue for the state of Israel to assess when this terrorist threat so to speak is no longer so great that Israel can end its defence position," the spokesperson said.