REACTION: Israeli attacks on Gaza

GAZA (Reuters) - Israeli war planes and helicopters pounded the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip on Saturday, killing at least 205 Palestinians.

Here are some of the key comments:

ISRAELI Defense MINISTER EHUD BARAK:

"There is a time for calm and a time for fighting, and now the time has come to fight."

HAMAS ARMED WING SPOKESMAN ABU UBAIDA:

The group will "teach the enemy a lesson they will never forget."

ISLAMIC JIHAD:

"All fighters are ordered to respond to the Israeli slaughter."

NABIL ABU RDAINAH, AIDE TO PALESTINIAN PRESIDENT MAHMOUD ABBAS:

"President Abbas demands that the Israeli government stop this aggression immediately ... and calls on the international community to intervene to stop the aggression."

EU FOREIGN POLICY CHIEF JAVIER SOLANA:

"I call for an immediate cessation of military actions on both sides. The EU has repeatedly condemned rocket attacks against Israel. The current Israeli strikes are inflicting an unacceptable toll on Palestinian civilians and will only worsen the humanitarian crisis as well as complicate the search for a peaceful solution.

"Passages in and out of Gaza should be reopened to allow humanitarian and regular commercial flows. As we have already said, the EU is ready to resume its Monitoring Mission at Rafah."

WHITE HOUSE SPOKESMAN GORDON JOHNDROE:

"Hamas' continued rocket attacks into Israel must cease if the violence is to stop. Hamas must end its terrorist activities if it wishes to play a role in the future of the Palestinian people.

"The United States urges Israel to avoid civilian casualties as it targets Hamas in Gaza."