Palestinian health officials said eight women and children were among the dead. "On the day on which the rockets were fired last week, I ordered - together with the defence minister - the preparation of an operation to target the arch-terrorists that would, in effect, hit the senior leadership of the organisation in the Gaza Strip," Mr Netanyahu said at the start of a security cabinet meeting. "In a joint statement, armed groups in Gaza said they would mourn all those who died as a result of what they called "the treacherous Israeli aggression" and that those responsible should "prepare to pay the price"