Said Siam, Palestinian Interior Minister in the Hamas-led cabinet gave instructions on Thursday to police and security forces under his command to confront the Israeli military offensive in northern Gaza Strip.

The ministry spokesman Khaled Abu Hilal told a news conference held in Gaza City on Thursday evening that Siam declared a status of emergency among all Palestinian security apparatuses to confront the Israeli army incursion.

Siam and most cabinet ministers in the Gaza Strip are hiding underground in fear of being targeted by the Israeli army. His office was targeted twice by Israeli missiles this week and was totally destroyed.

Abu Hilal told the reporters that Siam ordered the confrontation because it is a national and religious obligation to confront the aggression.

Although the Palestinian security forces lack military equipment and abilities, they would never leave their people confront the occupation forces' aggression alone, he added.

The Israeli military operation came 10 days after three Palestinian militant groups, led by the governing Hamas movement, held hostage an Israeli soldier who was captured in a cross border raid.

For his part, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas condemned Thursday the ongoing "Israeli aggression against Gaza Strip" that left two children dead among some 18 others.

In a statement issued by the office of Abbas, who is stuck in Gaza since the abduction of the Israeli soldier, Abbas said that the "aggression against civilians and innocents was a new crime against humanity."

Abbas also called on the UN Security Council to "rapidly intervene and pressurize the Israeli government to stop its destructive policy."

Source: Xinhua