Israel defies UN truce call in first Gaza ground assault
Print Edition
ISRAEL briefly deployed ground troops inside the Gaza Strip for the first time early yesterday as its military warned northern Gaza residents to evacuate their homes, part of a widening offensive that has killed more than 160 Palestinians.
Neither Israel nor Palestinian militants show signs of agreeing to a cease-fire, despite calls by the UN Security Council and others to end the six-day offensive. With Israel massing tanks and soldiers at Gaza’s borders, some fear that could signal a wider ground offensive that would cause heavy casualties.
“We don’t know when the operation will end. It might take a long time,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said yesterday.
Israeli troops launched a brief raid into northern Gaza early yesterday to destroy what the military described as a rocket-launching site, an operation the military said left four soldiers slightly wounded.
The Israeli air force later dropped leaflets warning residents to evacuate their homes ahead of a “short and temporary” campaign. The area is home to at least 100,000 people.
It was not clear whether the possible attack would be confined to stepped-up air strikes or whether it might include a sizeable ground offensive — something that Israel has so far been reluctant to undertake.
As the ultimatum drew near, hundreds fled Beit Lahiya, one of the communities the Israeli announcement affected. Some raced by in pickup trucks, waving white flags.
“They are sending warning messages,” resident Mohammad Abu Halemah said. “Once we received the message, we felt scared to stay in our homes. We want to leave.”
Adnan Abu Hassna, a spokesman for the UN agency in charge of aiding Palestinian refugees, said eight schools were opened as shelters, and 4,000 people had moved in.
Ignoring appeals for a cease-fire, Israel widened its range of bombing targets on Saturday to include civilian institutions with suspected Hamas ties. One strike flattened the home of Gaza police chief Taysir al-Batsh and damaged a nearby mosque as evening prayers ended, killing at least 18 people. A total of 50 people were wounded, including al-Batsh himself.
Yesterday, hundreds chanting “God is Great” joined the funeral procession for 17 members of al-Batsh’s extended family who were killed. Among the dead were his sister-in-law and her husband, along with the couple’s seven children, ranging in age from 13 to 28. A neighbor also was killed.
Yesterday, Palestinians with foreign passports began leaving Gaza through the Erez border crossing. Israel, which is cooperating, said 800 Palestinians living in Gaza have passports from countries including Australia, the UK and the US.
Israel has staged more than 1,300 strikes since the offensive began. Palestinian militants have launched more than 800 rockets at Israel.
Foreign diplomats also continued their efforts to end the bloodshed. German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier will fly to Israel for talks today and tomorrow with both Israelis and Palestinians. Meanwhile, the Arab League will meet today to discuss the offensive.
In the West Bank city of Ramallah, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said he had appealed to UN Secretary-General Bank Ki-moon for “international protection” for the Palestinian people. “The situation has become unbearable,” he said.
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