ISRAELI warplanes continued to pummel the Gaza Strip for the eight consecutive day today as Tel Aviv threatened war against the besieged enclave’s elected Hamas administration.

Missiles struck a site west of Gaza City in the early hours, causing heavy damage to houses and other civilian infrastructure and starting fires.

Artillery shells hit agricultural land east of Gaza City, destroying fields and crops belonging to Palestinian farmers.

Helicopters fired at least six missiles at a site west of Khan Younes, in the south of the territory, on Thursday evening.

Israel insists that it is targeting Hamas military positions and compounds in response to the launch of incendiary balloons and rockets from the coastal strip.

But its missiles have struck schools, farmland and other civilian infrastructure while the Israeli army has imposed restrictions on Gaza’s fishing boats and blocked commercial crossings.

Electricity in the besieged enclave was down to around three hours a day and fuel was running out at Gaza’s single power plant on Tuesday due to the blockade.

The International Committee of the Red Cross warned that the of electricity shortages would place an additional burden on Gaza’s precarious health system and make it difficult for people to access water.

Israeli President Reuben Rivlin warned: “Hamas should know that this is not a game. The time will come when it has to decide ... If it wants war, it will get war.”

Two million Palestinians live in Gaza, which has been blockaded by Israel since 2007, depriving residents of food, fuel, and medicine.