Special report:
Palestine-Israel
Relations
An Israeli soldier stands in front of a
tank just outside the northern Gaza Strip December 28, 2008.
(Chinese media/Reuters Photo)
Photo Gallery
By Xu Gang
JERUSALEM, Dec. 28 (Chinese media) -- As the Israeli
offensive on the Gaza Strip entered its second day, Israel Defense Forces (IDF)
on Sunday proceeded to make preparations for a possible ground incursion while
its air force continued strikes on the Hamas-ruled enclave.
According to Mo'aweya Hassanein, chief of emergency
and ambulance services in the Palestinian Health Ministry, nearly 300
Palestinians were killed and more than 900 wounded, 180 of them in critical
conditions, since the beginning of the intensive Israeli airstrikes on Gaza on
Saturday morning.
Despite the apparent blow to Hamas, the IDF continued
its preparations for a possible ground incursion into Gaza.
In its Sunday meeting, Israeli cabinet approved that
the IDF will call 6,500 reservists to duty, as part of the Israeli offensive on
Gaza, called "Cast Lead" operation.
Local daily Ha'aretz quoted Israeli defense officials
as saying that some reservists had already been mobilized to help protect
communities on the Gaza border from retaliatory Palestinian rocket salvos,
adding that new reservists would help complete the IDF' preparations for a
possible escalation of the fighting.
Israeli soldiers gather near a tank just outside the northern Gaza Strip December 28, 2008. (Chinese media/Reuters Photo)
Photo Gallery
Meanwhile, hundreds of IDF infantry and armored corps
troops headed for Gaza border early Sunday in preparation for a possible ground
invasion, according to Israeli military officials.
Also on Sunday, local news service Ynet reported that
IDF deployed an artillery battery opposite Gaza for the first time in a year.
The move indicated that Israeli military was
continuing its preparations for a possible ground incursion into Gaza as part of
its "Cast Lead" operation, said Ynet.
According to Israeli military sources, the artillery
battery was deployed as backup for any future ground incursion into Gaza.
The artillery would be used according to the IDF's
most rigorous protocol in order to avoid harming innocent civilians, added the
sources.
Israeli defense establishment has been consulting
with its legal experts on the legality of using artillery fire on Gaza, said
Ynet.
Palestinian search on the debris of an
exploded site in Gaza city Dec. 28, 2008. Israeli airstrikes in Gaza Strip
continued for the second successive day, causing more than 1,000
casualties. (Chinese media Photo)
Photo Gallery
It added that the discussions, prompted by past
reports suggesting such fire resulted in severe civilian casualties, led to the
defense establishment subjecting such fire to the strictest protocol possible.
The preparations for a possible Gaza ground incursion
came hours after IDF said that it was too early to declare the victory of
Israeli offensive in Gaza.
IDF sources said that so far, Hamas' response to
Israel's aerial attack of strategic targets in Gaza was relatively restrained,
despite the rocket fire of short-range and Grad rockets, adding that there was a
possibility for a massive response from Hamas.
It was too early to assume Hamas has been subdued,
said the IDF, noting that the militant group still has the capacity to shoot
heavy barrages of rockets, as well as to attempt attacks along the fence between
Gaza and Israel, and in Israel itself.
On Sunday morning, Hamas operatives launched three
Grad rockets towards Israel, which landed near Ashdod and the hit marked the
northernmost range of Gazan rockets seen to date - more than 40 km, according to
Ynet.
On Saturday, Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak told
Sky News that he would not rule out widening the offensive in Gaza to include a
ground invasion.
"There is a time for calm and a time for fighting,
and now the time has come to fight," said the defense minister.
Asked whether Israel would follow up Saturday's air
strikes with a ground offensive, Barak said that "if boots on the ground will be
needed, they will be there."
Israeli army ready for ground
invasion
GAZA BORDER, Israel, Dec. 28 (Chinese media) -- Roye, 36, was at
his home in Jerusalem with his wife and two children to enjoy a family dinner
for Jewish holiday Hanukkah and Shabbat. Suddenly, his phone screeched and
didn't stop ringing as he was drafted as a reservist.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) is calling 6,500
reservists to duty as part of the military offensive on the Hamas-ruled Gaza
Strip, which started on Saturday, according to local daily Ha'aretz on its
website. Full story
Smoke rises after an Israel air strike
in Gaza December 28, 2008. Israel launched air strikes on Gaza for a
second successive day on Sunday, piling pressure on Hamas after 285 people
were killed in one of the bloodiest 24 hours for Palestinians in 60 years
of conflict with the Jewish state.(Chinese media/Reuters Photo)
Photo Gallery
Israeli jets carry out another round
of airstrikes on Gaza
GAZA, Dec. 28 (Chinese media) -- Israeli F16 warplanes resumed on
Sunday night another round of airstrikes on security and police installations
belonging to Hamas movement as well as other targets, including cars and
buildings. Full story
Israeli assault on Gaza Strip draws
widespread condemnation
BEIJING, Dec. 28 (Chinese media) -- Israel on Saturday
morning launched a massive air raid which it said was targeted at Hamas
militants in the Gaza Strip, killing at least 225 and wounding 700,a move that
has drawn condemnation from many countries and world bodies. Full story
Security Council urges immediate
Israel-Palestine ceasefire
UNITED NATIONS, Dec. 28 (Chinese media) -- The UN Security
Council concluded an emergency meeting Sunday morning on the most recent
Israel-Palestine conflict with a call for "an immediate halt to violence." Full story
200 killed, 750 wounded in Israeli
strikes against Gaza
Bodies of Palestinian Hamas policemen
are scattered on the ground following an Israeli air strike in Gaza City
on Dec. 27, 2008. (Chinese media/Stringer)
Photo Gallery
GAZA, Dec. 27 (Chinese media) -- Two hundred Palestinians
were killed and 750 others wounded on Saturday in a series of rapid and
intensive Israeli air strikes in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip, Palestinian
officials said.
"The number of martyrs reached 200 and the wounded
people are 750, including a number of civilian women and children," said Mu'
awia Hassanien, chief of emergency and ambulance services in the Palestinian
health ministry. Full story
Palestinian president calls on Israel
to halt Gaza strikes
GAZA, Dec. 27 (Chinese media) -- Palestinian President Mahmoud
Abbas on Saturday condemned Israeli airstrikes in the Gaza Strip which killed
more than 140 Palestinians and wounded 200.
"President Abbas strongly condemns this harsh aggression
that Israel is waging now against the Gaza Strip," said Nabil Abu Rdineh,
spokesman for the Palestinian presidency. Full story
Haneya vows Hamas never yield to
Israel
GAZA, Dec. 27 (Chinese media) -- The Islamic Hamas movement would
never yield to Israel, vowed former Palestinian prime minister of Hamas Ismail
Haneya on Saturday.
Haneya voiced the stance in a letter to the Palestinian
people, which was carried by a pro-Hamas website, after Israel launched air
strikes earlier in the day that killed more than 200 Gazans. Full story
Bodies of Palestinian Hamas policemen
are scattered on the ground following an Israeli air strike in Gaza City
on Dec. 27, 2008. (Chinese media/Stringer)
Photo
Gallery
Israel vows to continue offensive
against Hamas until restoring borderland quiet
JERUSALEM, Dec. 27 (Chinese media) -- Israel vowed on Saturday,
following massive airstrikes in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip, that it is poised
for more offensives in the Palestinian enclave till bringing the southern
borderland back to quiet and security.
Over 200 people were killed and another several hundreds
wounded in the simultaneous raids around noon against dozens of Hamas' security
installations, marking the bloodiest day in decades on this volatile piece of
land. Full story
Israeli town has mixed feelings after
Hamas' counterattack
NETIVOT, Israel, Dec. 27 (Chinese media) -- "Where did it fall?"
police and emergency crew shouted as they rushed to assist the injured from the
Qassam attack in the southern Israeli town of Netivot. Everyone knows what "it"
is.
Moments later, the "Color Red" alarm sounded again in the
town that homes around 25,000 Jewish residents, causing the already frightened
children and adults to run to wherever they can hide. "Don't be scared," a
mother comforted her child in a dark, damp shelter room, while listening for the
blast of the Qassam rocket. Full story
Egypt to open Rafah crossing after
Israeli raids across Gaza
CAIRO, Dec. 27 (Chinese media) -- Egypt has decided to open the
Rafah crossing at its border with the Palestinian territory of the Gaza Strip to
receive wounded Palestinians following Israeli air strikes across the
Palestinian enclave, the Qatari al-Jazeera satellite channel reported on
Saturday. Full story
News Analysis: Analysts expect more
violence in future
Palestinians take part in a protest
against Israeli air strikes on Gaza in the West Bank city of Hebron, Dec.
27, 2008.(Chinese media Photo/Yin Bogu)
Photo
Gallery
RAMALLAH, Dec. 27 (Chinese media) -- Palestinian analysts expect
more violence throughout the territories in future following Israeli massive
airstrikes on the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip, causing extensive Palestinian
casualties. Full story
Israeli offensive against Gaza may
renew violence cycle
JERUSALEM, Dec. 27 (Chinese media) -- The Israeli military offensive
against Gaza, currently ruled by the Islamic Hamas movement, can never be a
final end to the conflict between them but may renew their violence cycle, said
political analysts.
Israel Defense Forces (IDF) carried out massive air strikes
against dozens of targets in Gaza early Saturday, reportedly killing more than
200 people and injuring another several hundred in response to Hamas ongoing
cross-border rockets attacks. Full story
Smoke rises after an Israeli bomb
exploded in Beit Lahiya in the northern Gaza Strip December 27, 2008.
Israel's air force fired about 30 missiles at targets in the Gaza Strip on
Saturday, destroying several Hamas police compounds and killing more than
140 people, medical officials and witnesses said. (Chinese media/Reuters
Photo)
Photo
Gallery
Int'l rights activists speak out from
Gaza after Israeli air strike
JERUSALEM, Dec. 27 (Chinese media) -- International rights
activists, who are currently in Gaza, on Saturday spoke out from the Hamas-ruled
enclave against a massive Israeli strike.
Israel Defense Forces (IDF) carried out massive air
strikes against dozens of targets in Gaza early Saturday, reportedly killing
more than 200 people and injuring another several hundred in response to Hamas
ongoing cross-border rockets attacks. Full story
Arab League, Egypt push for Arab
unified measures on Israeli raids on Gaza
CAIRO, Dec. 27 (Chinese media) -- The Cairo-based Arab League
(AL) has been busy preparing for an emergency meeting of Arab foreign ministers
set to be held next Wednesday following deadly attacks by Israeli troops in the
Gaza Strip that killed more than 200 Palestinians on Saturday.
Earlier in the day, AL Secretary General Amr Moussa told
reporters the Arab foreign ministers' meeting will be held either on Sunday or
Monday to discuss the situation after Israeli strikes. Full story
U.S. urges Israel to avoid civilian
casualties in strikes against Hamas
WASHINGTON, Dec. 27 (Chinese media) -- The United States on
Saturday urged Israel to avoid civilian casualties in its reprisal strikes
against Hamas targets in Gaza.
"The United States urges Israel to avoid civilian
casualties as it targets Hamas in Gaza," U.S. National Security Council
spokesman Gordon Johndroe said in a brief statement. Full story
UN chief calls for immediate halt of
violence in Gaza, southern Israel
UNITED NATIONS, Dec. 27 (Chinese media) -- U.N. Secretary-general
Ban Ki-moon on Saturday called for an immediate halt to the violence in Gaza and
southern Israel, condemning excessive use of force leading to civilian
casualties and ongoing rocket attacks by militants.
In a statement issued by his spokesperson, Ban said that
he is "deeply alarmed" by the heavy violence and bloodshed in Gaza, and the
continuation of violence in southern Israel, and called for "an immediate halt
to all violence." Full story
EU urges Israel, Palestinians to
return to ceasefire immediately
BRUSSELS, Dec. 27 (Chinese media) -- The European Union (EU) on
Saturday expressed grave concern at the ongoing Israeli military airstrikes in
the Gaza Strip and urged Israel and the Palestinians to return immediately to
ceasefire.
In a statement issued by European Commissioner for
External Relations Benita Ferrero-Waldner, EU also called on all sides to
exercise "utmost restraint" and to stop the escalation of violence which
endangers the civilian population. Full story
Russia urges Israel, Hamas to stop
clashes
MOSCOW, Dec. 27 (Chinese media) -- Russia on Saturday urged
Israel to "immediately stop" its military actions in Gaza Strip, and Hamas to
halt shelling Israeli territory.
"Moscow believes it is necessary (for Israel) to
immediately stop the large-scale military operation against Gaza Strip,"
Itar-Tass and Interfax quoted a Foreign Ministry spokesman as saying. Full story
British PM voices deep concern over
Gaza raid
LONDON, Dec. 27 (Chinese media) -- British Prime Minister Gordon
Brown said on Saturday that he is "deeply concerned" over the Israeli air
strikes that have killed more than 200 Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip.
Israel needs to meet its humanitarian obligations, act in
a way to further the long-term vision of a two-state solution, and do everything
in its power to avoid civilian casualties, said the prime minister. Full story
A Palestinian girl is brought to
al-Shifa hospital in Gaza city Dec. 28, 2008. Israeli airstrikes in Gaza
Strip continued for the second successive day, causing more than 1,000
casualties. (Chinese media Photo)
Photo
Gallery
A Palestinian fire fighter extinguishes
the fire from a destroyed building of Hamas TV following an Israel air
strike in Gaza Strip December 28, 2008. Israel launched air strikes on
Gaza for a second successive day on Sunday, piling pressure on Hamas after
285 people were killed in one of the bloodiest 24 hours for Palestinians
in 60 years of conflict with the Jewish state.(Chinese media/Reuters
Photo)
Photo
Gallery
An Israeli soldier prays atop a tank
near Kibbutz Sufa, just outside the southern Gaza Strip December 28, 2008.
Israel launched air strikes on Gaza for a second day on Sunday, piling
pressure on Hamas after killing more than 285 people in one of the
bloodiest days in 60 years of conflict between the Palestinians and the
Jewish state.(Chinese media/Reuters Photo)
Photo
Gallery
Palestinians inspect a destroyed
al-Shifa mosque following an Israel air strike in Gaza Strip December 28,
2008. Israel launched air strikes on Gaza for a second successive day on
Sunday, piling pressure on Hamas after 285 people were killed in one of
the bloodiest 24 hours for Palestinians in 60 years of conflict with the
Jewish state.(Chinese media/Reuters Photo)
Photo
Gallery
Palestinian fire fighter shouts in front
of a burning building following an Israel air strike in Gaza Strip
December 28, 2008. Israel launched air strikes on Gaza for a second
successive day on Sunday, piling pressure on Hamas after 285 people were
killed in one of the bloodiest 24 hours for Palestinians in 60 years of
conflict with the Jewish state.(Chinese media/Reuters Photo)
Photo
Gallery
A Palestinian man walks past a fire
following an Israel air strike in Gaza Strip December 28, 2008. Israel
launched air strikes on Gaza for a second successive day on Sunday, piling
pressure on Hamas after 285 people were killed in one of the bloodiest 24
hours for Palestinians in 60 years of conflict with the Jewish
state.(Chinese media/Reuters Photo)
Photo
Gallery
Smoke rises after an Israeli air strike
in the northern Gaza Strip December 28, 2008. Israel launched air strikes
on Gaza for a second day on Sunday, piling pressure on Hamas after killing
more than 285 people in one of the bloodiest days in 60 years of conflict
between the Palestinians and the Jewish state. (Chinese media/Reuters
Photo)
Photo
Gallery
Bodies of Hamas policemen lie on the
ground of their destroyed police compound following an Israeli air strike
in Gaza December 27, 2008. Israeli air strikes in the Hamas-ruled Gaza
Strip on Saturday killed at least271 Palestinians, health officials
in Gaza said. (Chinese media Photo)
Photo
Gallery
Bodies of Palestinian Hamas policemen
are scattered on the ground following an Israeli air strike in Gaza City
on Dec. 27, 2008. (Chinese media/Stringer)
Photo
Gallery
Bodies of Hamas policemen lie on the
ground of their destroyed police compound following an Israeli air strike
in Gaza December 27, 2008. Israeli air strikes in the Hamas-ruled Gaza
Strip on Saturday killed at least271 Palestinians, health officials
in Gaza said. (Chinese media/Reuters Photo)
Photo
Gallery
Bodies of Hamas policemen lie on the
ground of their destroyed police compound following an Israeli air strike
in Gaza December 27, 2008. Israeli warplanes and helicopters pounded the
Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip on Saturday, killing at least271 people in
one of the bloodiest days in the Palestinians' conflict with
Israel.(Chinese media/Reuters Photo)
Photo Gallery
Smoke and fire are seen after an Israeli
air strike in the northern Gaza Strip December 27, 2008. (Chinese media/Reuters
Photo)
Photo
Gallery
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