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Civilian toll mounts as Israel raid gains force
Source: Agencies |
January 6, 2009, Tuesday
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ISRAEL seized control of high-rise buildings and attacked houses, mosques and smuggling tunnels as it pressed forward with its offensive against the Gaza Strip's Hamas rulers yesterday, even as a stream of European leaders headed for the region to advocate a truce.
At least 14 Palestinian children were killed, raising the known death toll from a new ground invasion to more than 80. The vast majority of confirmed deaths have been civilians, fueling international outrage. Gaza's biggest hospital said it was overwhelmed.
As the bruising campaign against Gaza's Hamas entered its 10th day, the Islamic militant group continued to pummel southern Israel with more than two dozen rockets yesterday and promised to wait for Israeli soldiers "in every street and every alleyway."
Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak said the offensive would go on until Israel achieved "peace and tranquility" for residents of Israel.
After a week-long air offensive, Israeli ground troops invaded Gaza late Saturday. The Israelis have seized a main highway in Gaza, slicing the territory in half.
Israel has attacked several mosques during the campaign, saying they were used to store weapons. One house belonged to a leading Hamas lawmaker, who was not inside at the time.
The Israeli army said "dozens" of militants have been killed or wounded.
Gaza health officials reported 537 Palestinian dead and nearly 2,000 wounded since Israel embarked upon the campaign on December 27. At least 200 civilians were among the dead.
Israel has three main demands: an end to Palestinian attacks, international supervision of any truce and a halt to Hamas rearming.
Hamas demands a cessation of Israeli attacks and the opening of vital Gaza-Israel cargo crossings, Gaza's main lifeline.
Israeli forces seized sparsely populated areas in northern Gaza and by yesterday morning were dug in on the edges of Gaza City.
Further movement into the heart of the built-up areas would mean deadly urban warfare, with house-to-house fighting, sniper fire and booby traps in crowded streets and alleyways familiar to Hamas' 20,000 fighters.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who unsuccessfully proposed a two-day truce before the land invasion began, was due to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who lost control of Gaza to Hamas in June 2007.
While blaming Hamas for causing Palestinian suffering with rocket fire that led to the Israeli offensive, Sarkozy has condemned Israel's use of ground troops, reflecting general world opinion. Sarkozy and other diplomats making their way to the region are expected to press hard for a cease-fire.
A European Union delegation including foreign policy chief Javier Solana was due to meet with Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni.
At least 14 Palestinian children were killed, raising the known death toll from a new ground invasion to more than 80. The vast majority of confirmed deaths have been civilians, fueling international outrage. Gaza's biggest hospital said it was overwhelmed.
As the bruising campaign against Gaza's Hamas entered its 10th day, the Islamic militant group continued to pummel southern Israel with more than two dozen rockets yesterday and promised to wait for Israeli soldiers "in every street and every alleyway."
Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak said the offensive would go on until Israel achieved "peace and tranquility" for residents of Israel.
After a week-long air offensive, Israeli ground troops invaded Gaza late Saturday. The Israelis have seized a main highway in Gaza, slicing the territory in half.
Israel has attacked several mosques during the campaign, saying they were used to store weapons. One house belonged to a leading Hamas lawmaker, who was not inside at the time.
The Israeli army said "dozens" of militants have been killed or wounded.
Gaza health officials reported 537 Palestinian dead and nearly 2,000 wounded since Israel embarked upon the campaign on December 27. At least 200 civilians were among the dead.
Israel has three main demands: an end to Palestinian attacks, international supervision of any truce and a halt to Hamas rearming.
Hamas demands a cessation of Israeli attacks and the opening of vital Gaza-Israel cargo crossings, Gaza's main lifeline.
Israeli forces seized sparsely populated areas in northern Gaza and by yesterday morning were dug in on the edges of Gaza City.
Further movement into the heart of the built-up areas would mean deadly urban warfare, with house-to-house fighting, sniper fire and booby traps in crowded streets and alleyways familiar to Hamas' 20,000 fighters.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who unsuccessfully proposed a two-day truce before the land invasion began, was due to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who lost control of Gaza to Hamas in June 2007.
While blaming Hamas for causing Palestinian suffering with rocket fire that led to the Israeli offensive, Sarkozy has condemned Israel's use of ground troops, reflecting general world opinion. Sarkozy and other diplomats making their way to the region are expected to press hard for a cease-fire.
A European Union delegation including foreign policy chief Javier Solana was due to meet with Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni.
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