Israel Widens Offensive in Gaza as Hamas Rocket Attacks Continue
Three days after widening its initial air and sea assault on Gaza with a ground offensive, Israel's military is deepening its efforts against Hamas, reaching toward the city of Khan Yunis in Gaza's south, while the death toll has neared 600.
The move came despite international calls for a cease-fire, most recently from France and Syria. Meanwhile, the militant group Hamas continued to fire rockets into Israel, defying international pressure.
Israel launched its military assault on Gaza 11 days ago. Since then, countries worldwide have called for a cease-fire. International calls for a 48-hour truce were rebuffed in the first week of the war. Most recently, French President Nicolas Sarkozy called for a cease-fire "as soon as possible" during a news conference Monday with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, and Sarkozy met with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to enlist him in diplomatic efforts.
At the same time, however, Israeli troops moved into Khan Yunis, Gaza's second-largest city, and pledged to press on with their attacks. Israeli officials say that until Hamas ceases firing rockets into their country, the assault will continue. A recent Hamas rocket attack hit Gedera, a town just 20 miles south of Tel Aviv—one of the points farthest north that Palestinian rocket fire has reached.
Meanwhile, the death toll in Gaza has climbed. According to Palestinian medical officials, more than 560 in Gaza were killed by Tuesday; the United Nations says about a quarter of those were civilians. An airstrike at a U.N.-run school Tuesday killed at least 40 people.
Hamas has killed five Israelis, while four Israeli soldiers have been killed in "friendly fire" incidents.
Aid groups have warned of humanitarian disaster in Gaza. The International Committee of the Red Cross called it a "full-blown major crisis in humanitarian terms." At Gaza's largest hospital, for example, generators have had to provide electricity for three days, medicine is running out, many workers can't make it to work because of the fighting, and 11 medical staff members have been killed while retrieving victims.
Hamas assumed control of Gaza in June 2007, after which the Israeli government restricted the borders and shipments of food, medicine, and other goods into Gaza. Now, Israeli military strategy has cut the strip in half, making it difficult for Gazans to move across the region to hospitals.
From Israel's perspective, one of the war's thorniest aspects is who is and who is not a civilian. That's particularly tricky with a group like Hamas, which engages not only in rocket and suicide attacks on Israel but also runs the Gaza Strip's schools, hospitals, power plants, mosques, and police forces. Making any of those installations a target in heavily populated Gaza will, almost inevitably, harm noncombatants.
Reader Comments
How can God Bless America if we don't support Israel?
Remember God said all nations who come against her (Israel) will be dam. My prayers are that our country stays focus on the subject of always support Israel. Whether we agree with them, in all things or not. He can not continue to be blessed if we don't bless.... Israel and that is a fact.
Save the Palestinians from Hamas
Don't victimize the Palestinian people. They elected Hamas. Hamas ROCKET BOMBS are not "weapons of the poor". They are not "shouts" They KILL, maim and terrorize people. Israel is not a colonial country. It's inhabitants have been indigenous to the land for thousands of years.
Gaza wanted Israel out and Israeli's were thrown out of their lifetime homes leaving these hot houses, orchards, lush communities of vegetation behind, only to be destroyed by Palestinians upon their exit. Palestinians must educate their children not to hate, they must build their own communities, plant their own trees, build their own infrastructures. Why is Israel obligated to give them electricity, jobs, passes into the country of Israel where good citizens of Israel live, Arab, Jewish and Christian? Gaza wanted to be self sufficient, a Palestinian state. It continually receives massive international monies. Where has this vast amount of money gone?
Why have Palestinians been thrown out of Lebanon and Jordan? Why have they been stifled in hate- filled refugee camps for 50+ years? They are not Israel's responsibility, yet Israel has assumed responsibility. Why do their Arab brothers not help them out of their poverty (since the money given to them is squandered by their elected leaders)? Their own brothers have let them down- why blame Israel for all their problems? Israel left GAZA. Still Hamas continues Holy Jihad. What does the Hamas charter say? Annihilate Israel. Not truce with Israel and a land for themselves in Gaza. Hamas must Stop rocketing innocent civilians. Palestinians will find that Israel will make peace with them if not attacked daily.Israel has proved this ability and desire as it made peace with Egypt and Jordan.
Save the Palestinians from Hamas. They mad a bad choice with Arafat. They made a bad choice with Hamas. It is tragic they are suffering because of the hatred of Hamas and the incessant tunnel weaponry from Iran instigating and using Hamas as it's proxy.
Save the Palestinians from Hamas
Don't victimize the Palestinian people. They elected Hamas. Hamas ROCKET BOMBS are not "weapons of the poor". They are not "shouts" They KILL, maim and terrorize people. Israel is not a colonial country. It's inhabitants have been indigenous to the land for thousands of years.
Gaza wanted Israel out and Israeli's were thrown out of their lifetime homes leaving these hot houses, orchards, lush communities of vegetation behind, only to be destroyed by Palestinians upon their exit. Palestinians must educate their children not to hate, they must build their own communities, plant their own trees, build their own infrastructures. Why is Israel obligated to give them electricity, jobs, passes into the country of Israel where good citizens of Israel live, Arab, Jewish and Christian? Gaza wanted to be self sufficient, a Palestinian state. It continually receives massive international monies. Where has this vast amount of money gone?
Why have Palestinians been thrown out of Lebanon and Jordan? Why have they been stifled in hate- filled refugee camps for 50+ years? They are not Israel's responsibility, yet Israel has assumed responsibility. Why do their Arab brothers not help them out of their poverty (since the money given to them is squandered by their elected leaders)? Their own brothers have let them down- why blame Israel for all their problems? Israel left GAZA. Still Hamas continues Holy Jihad. What does the Hamas charter say? Annihilate Israel. Not truce with Israel and a land for themselves in Gaza. Hamas must Stop rocketing innocent civilians. Palestinians will find that Israel will make peace with them if not attacked daily.Israel has proved this ability and desire as it made peace with Egypt and Jordan.
Save the Palestinians from Hamas. They mad a bad choice with Arafat. They made a bad choice with Hamas. It is tragic they are suffering because of the hatred of Hamas and the incessant tunnel weaponry from Iran instigating and using Hamas as it's proxy.
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