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Israel close to its goals, Olmert tells his Cabinet
Source: Agencies |
January 12, 2009, Monday
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ISRAELI forces edged into the Gaza Strip's most populous area yesterday, killing at least 27 Palestinians in an offensive stepped up in defiance of international calls for a cease-fire.
Medical officials said about half the Palestinian killed yesterday in the Hamas-ruled territory were civilians.
"Israel is getting close to achieving the goals it set for itself," Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told his Cabinet in Jerusalem yesterday.
"But patience, determination and effort are still needed to realize these goals in a manner that will change the security situation in the south," Olmert said, referring to Hamas rocket attacks on Israeli towns.
Olmert convened his Cabinet for a discussion expected to include a possible "third stage" of the offensive in which the military would storm into Gaza's urban areas.
Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal said his ruling Islamist group would not consider a cease-fire until Israel ended its air, sea and ground assault and lifted a Gaza blockade.
A Hamas delegation held talks in Cairo on an Egyptian truce plan.
Israel, describing as unworkable a United Nations resolution calling for a cease-fire, wants a halt to rocket attacks and arrangements to ensure that Hamas cannot rearm through tunnels under the Egypt-Gaza border.
An Israeli defence official was expected to visit Egypt today to press for tougher anti-smuggling measures.
Backed by helicopter gunships, Israeli troops and tanks pushed into eastern and southern parts of the city of Gaza, confronting Hamas militants who fired anti-armour missiles and mortar bombs.
The Palestinian death toll since Israel's offensive began on December 27 stands at 869, many of them civilians, Gaza medical officials said.
Thirteen Israelis, three civilians hit by rocket fire and 10 soldiers, have been killed, Israeli figures showed.
New street fighting killed 10 gunmen, Palestinian medical workers said.
Another three fighters and a member of the Hamas police force were killed by Israeli air strikes.
Medical officials said 13 civilians, including four members of a family, were killed by Israeli forces and that Israeli shelling of two villages south of the city of Gaza had set 15 houses on fire.
Israel's military said it attacked a mosque used to store weapons, 10 squads of gunmen, three rocket-launching sites and the house of a Hamas commander.
In Jerusalem, Cabinet Secretary Oved Yehezkel said Hamas leaders were hiding in Gaza's foreign missions, hospitals and bunkers to elude Israeli forces. He did not name the missions.
In Washington, US President-elect Barack Obama said he would begin the search for Middle East peace immediately on becoming president.
Medical officials said about half the Palestinian killed yesterday in the Hamas-ruled territory were civilians.
"Israel is getting close to achieving the goals it set for itself," Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told his Cabinet in Jerusalem yesterday.
"But patience, determination and effort are still needed to realize these goals in a manner that will change the security situation in the south," Olmert said, referring to Hamas rocket attacks on Israeli towns.
Olmert convened his Cabinet for a discussion expected to include a possible "third stage" of the offensive in which the military would storm into Gaza's urban areas.
Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal said his ruling Islamist group would not consider a cease-fire until Israel ended its air, sea and ground assault and lifted a Gaza blockade.
A Hamas delegation held talks in Cairo on an Egyptian truce plan.
Israel, describing as unworkable a United Nations resolution calling for a cease-fire, wants a halt to rocket attacks and arrangements to ensure that Hamas cannot rearm through tunnels under the Egypt-Gaza border.
An Israeli defence official was expected to visit Egypt today to press for tougher anti-smuggling measures.
Backed by helicopter gunships, Israeli troops and tanks pushed into eastern and southern parts of the city of Gaza, confronting Hamas militants who fired anti-armour missiles and mortar bombs.
The Palestinian death toll since Israel's offensive began on December 27 stands at 869, many of them civilians, Gaza medical officials said.
Thirteen Israelis, three civilians hit by rocket fire and 10 soldiers, have been killed, Israeli figures showed.
New street fighting killed 10 gunmen, Palestinian medical workers said.
Another three fighters and a member of the Hamas police force were killed by Israeli air strikes.
Medical officials said 13 civilians, including four members of a family, were killed by Israeli forces and that Israeli shelling of two villages south of the city of Gaza had set 15 houses on fire.
Israel's military said it attacked a mosque used to store weapons, 10 squads of gunmen, three rocket-launching sites and the house of a Hamas commander.
In Jerusalem, Cabinet Secretary Oved Yehezkel said Hamas leaders were hiding in Gaza's foreign missions, hospitals and bunkers to elude Israeli forces. He did not name the missions.
In Washington, US President-elect Barack Obama said he would begin the search for Middle East peace immediately on becoming president.
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