JERUSALEM, March 2 (Reuters) - Israel's defence minister on Sunday said it was time to act against Hamas Islamists in the Gaza Strip and vowed to press on with an offensive that would bring about change in the Palestinian enclave.

"It is time for action. The operation is continuing. Hamas is responsible and will pay the price," Ehud Barak said in a statement. "They fire at innocent civilians. They leave us no choice. We will deploy force to change the situation -- and we will change it."

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