On Monday, Israeli Foreign Minister, Avigdor Lieberman said that working toward a cease-fire with Hamas is a grave mistake, and that Israel should try to topple the terrorist organization instead. The foreign minister's remarks come as international mediators try to halt the latest round of fighting between Israel and Hamas. The last week has seen the most intense confrontation between the two since Israel's war in the Palestinian territory in late December 2008. According to the IDF, Hamas has fired more than 130 rockets and mortar shells into southern Israel since Thursday. Israeli reprisals have killed 19 Palestinians. Lieberman told Israel Radio that Hamas exploits calm to build its fighting force and smuggle in weapons to use against Israel, and that a cease-fire would contradict Israel's national interests.