Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that Israel would do "whatever" to defend itself against attacks from the Gaza Strip, and all options, including a ground operation in the coastal enclave, are "on the table."

"Israel would do whatever necessary to end rockets and missile attacks on Israeli civilians," the prime minister said during a press conference, adding that he hopes that "Hamas got the message " amid Israel's "Operation Pillar of Defense" in Gaza.

Netanyahu accused the Hamas leadership of targeting Israeli civilians as well as jeopardizing the lives of Palestinians in Gaza.

"Hamas and the other terror organizations are committing two crimes of war both at once: they hide behind civilians as they are shooting rockets at Israeli civilians," the prime minister said.

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) declared Wednesday evening the commencement of "Operation Pillar of Defense" in the Gaza Strip, starting with the targeted killing of Hamas military wing chief Ahmed al-Jaabari, as well as a series of air strikes.

An IDF spokesperson later confirmed 200 hits on targets in Gaza, including caches of long-range missiles. The Palestinians reported that so far 13 people in Gaza have been killed and 40 wounded, among them 20 children.

During a press briefing earlier Thursday, Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak, who was visiting the headquarters of the military's southern command, said the operation might take a while and cost Israel "some heavy losses, as well as successes."

Three Israelis were killed early Thursday in an apartment building in Kiryat Malachi, 25 km from the Gaza Strip, due to a direct missile hit. A four-year-old boy was moderately wounded and is currently treated at a hospital near Tel Aviv. Another baby was said to be lightly injured in the attack.

Later Thursday, three Israeli soldiers were confirmed injured and evacuated for medical attention at the Soroka hospital in Be' er Sheva, after their outpost was hit by a missile. One is moderately wounded and the other two others were lightly injured.

More than 200 rockets were launched from the Gaza Strip during the past 24 hours. The IDF reported that the Iron Dome anti- missile system has intercepted 80 rockets so far above Israeli towns.

Both the Israeli prime minister and defense minister iterated that Israel would do "whatever it takes" to achieve its goals of damaging the militant infrastructure in Gaza and restore peace to Israeli southern communities.

They also suggested that all options are on the table and army battalions have been moving towards the Gaza border.