Israel vows to make Hamas pay for murder of teens

JERUSALEM, July 1 (AFP): Israel vowed Tuesday to hunt down the Hamas militants it holds responsible for kidnapping and killing three teenagers, but was likely to carefully weigh its response to avoid triggering a regional flareup.
As further details emerged of the fate of the three youngsters whose bodies were found in the southern West Bank on Monday evening, Israel said it would not rest until it finds their killers.
But despite extensive Israeli air strikes on Gaza overnight, no one was killed, with Israel's military establishment and cabinet heavyweights backing a more measured response over isolated calls for a major operation in the territory.
The disappearance of two 16-year-olds and a 19-year-old from a roadside in the southern West Bank on June 12 and the hunt for their kidnappers had gripped the Israeli public, triggering an outpouring of public grief and anger.
The discovery of their bodies was given blanket coverage across all media outlets. "The bitter end" read the headline in top-selling Yediot Aharonot newspaper, while the pro-government Israel Hayom freesheet led on: "Cut down in their youth".