"Israel has no intention of hitting innocent civilians and the responsibility falls entirely on Hezbollah," he said.
Israeli ministers also expressed regret over the incident, where more than 20 children where killed, but one minister said Israel will continue targeting communities where the Hezbollah militia operates.
"I deeply regret what happened in Kafr Qana, every harm inflicted on children, woman and civilians is very saddening and I deeply regret it," Education Minister Yuli Tamir said before the weekly cabinet meeting.
Trade and Industry Minister Eli Yishai, among the hardline backers of the military operation in Lebanon, said: "I think that anyone who is in villages where there are terrorists... The community is supposed to be extremely severely damaged." As the army has warned many areas in south Lebanon of impending strikes, "anyone who lives nearby is bound to be hurt" if they have not heeded the warnings and stayed, Yishai said. "We say this with deep sadness. But they must leave the communities," he said.
Between 1,600 and 1,800 rockets have been fired across Israel's north, killing 18 civilians and wounding more than 300 others, since the Jewish state launched its offensive against Hezbollah on July 12.
More than 400 people have been killed during the 19 days of the crisis in Lebanon, most of them civilians. The air strike against Qana on Sunday killed at least 51 people, many of them children.
Comments