Witnesses: Heavy clashes erupt in northern and eastern Gaza

Special report:

Palestine-IsraelConflicts

Israeli soldiers fire tear gas at

Palestinian protestors during a clash in the West Bank city of Hebron, on

Jan. 5, 2009. Palestinians on Monday held a protest in Hebron against

Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip and clashed with Israeli

soldiers.(Chinese media Photo)
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Gallery

GAZA, Jan. 5 (Chinese media) -- Heavy and fierce gun battles

took place on Monday night between Israeli soldiers and Palestinian militants in

eastern and northern Gaza City, witnesses in Gaza said.

The witnesses said that they can hear heavy and

intensive tanks shelling on the area known as Tufah neighborhood in eastern Gaza

City, adding that Israeli soldiers and militants were exchanging heavy gunfire

in the area.

Resident of Gaza Mohamed el-Aklouk said dozens of

shells were fired at eastern and northern Gaza city within less than 30 minutes,

adding that several houses were destroyed in the area.

Palestinian boys throw stones at Israeli

soldiers during a clash near the West Bank city of Hebron, on Jan. 5,

2009. Palestinians on Monday held a protest in Hebron against Israeli

attacks on the Gaza Strip and clashed with Israeli soldiers.(Chinese media

Photo)
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Gallery

Rescue teams and paramedics told local radio stations

that there were lots of fatalities in the area, adding that ambulances were not

able to reach into the area due to the intensive tanks shelling.

F16 warplanes flew over Gaza city and hit several

targets as the gun battle was still going on, said el-Aklouk, adding that most

people in northern and western Gaza city kept indoors, hearing the heavy

shelling and strikes.

A Palestinian boy catapults a stone at

Israeli soldiers during a clash near the West Bank city of Hebron, on Jan.

5, 2009. Palestinians on Monday held a protest in Hebron against Israeli

attacks on the Gaza Strip and clashed with Israeli soldiers.(Chinese media

Photo)
Photo

Gallery

Medical sources estimated that the death toll in

Monday hit to 50 people and more than 150 wounded, most of them are civilians.

They said paramedics are waiting for a little calm to

get into the area and rescue the people.

Dozens of Israeli tanks enter Gaza

City

GAZA, Jan. 5 (Chinese media) -- Dozens of Israeli tanks on Monday

entered Zayton neighborhood in Gaza City, exchanging fire fiercely with Hamas

militants, local witness said. Full story

Israeli ground operation, airstrikes

continue, 514 killed

GAZA, Jan. 4

(Chinese media) -- Israel on Sunday intensified strikes on the Gaza Strip for the ninth

consecutive day, a day after its army carried out a large-scale ground operation

into the enclave, leaving 514 people killed since Dec. 27.

Israeli warplanes struck by missiles dozens of targets

into Gaza on Sunday as columns of tanks rolled deep into the enclave on Saturday

night, cutting it into two separate areas, Hamas local Radio Station al-Aqsa

Radio said. Full story

News Analysis: Israeli aggression has

little leeway for retrogression

JERUSALEM, Jan. 4 (Chinese media) -- As Israeli ground

troops fight their way in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip, various signs indicate

that the government and army have to accomplish a substantial achievement in

what Prime Minister Ehud Olmert called an "unavoidable" incursion.

Under the cover of artillery and aerial fire, Israeli

tanks rumbled into the coastal area on Saturday night with infantry troops,

combat engineers and intelligence units, escalating the so-called Operation Cast

Lead to its second phase in Israel's blistering efforts to end the continuing

rocket fire from the Palestinian enclave. Full story

Israeli DM: Gaza operation aimed at

changing security situation in S Israel

JERUSALEM, Jan. 5 (Chinese media) -- The aim of the Israel

Defense Forces (IDF) Cast Lead Operation in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip was

to change the political and security situation in south Israel, Israeli Defense

Minister Ehud Barak said Monday.

"We are striving for a new reality in which there won't be

activity from Gaza against Israeli civilians or our soldiers, a situation which

will dramatically change the state of smuggling and in which quiet will prevail

in the south," said the defense minister. Full story

Three Palestinian paramedics killed by

airstrike in Gaza

Smokes rise following an Israeli

airstrike on an area known to have smuggling tunnels in Rafah, in the

southern Gaza Strip on the border with Egypt, Jan. 3, 2009.(Chinese media

Photo)
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Gallery

GAZA, Jan. 4 (Chinese media) -- Mo'aweya Hassanein, chief of emergency and ambulance

services in the Palestinian Health Ministry, said that three more Palestinian

paramedics were killed by Israeli airstrike on Sunday evening.

Hassanein said the three were rescuing the injured inside

a house, which was damaged in southern Gaza City, where another airstrike took

place, killing the paramedics. Full story

Thousands demonstrate in Rabat against

Israeli offensive on Gaza

RABAT, Jan. 4 (Chinese media) -- Scores of thousands of Moroccans

took to the streets on Sunday in the capital Rabat to condemn the Israeli

"barbarous" offensive on Gaza, and denounce the Arab and international silence.

There were fifty thousands according to police figures,

and far more according to organizers, to take to Rabat's main streets and

strongly denounce the Israeli raids, and call for the immediate halt of the

offensive. Full story

Erekat: Israel is burying the peace

process

RAMALLAH, Jan. 4 (Chinese media) -- Palestinian negotiator Saeb

Erekaton Sunday accused Israel that it is burying the peace process after it

enlarged military operations in the Gaza Strip and killed more than 500

Palestinians.

"The Israeli government is burying the peace process by

escalating its military actions in the Gaza Strip," Erekat said in a statement

sent to the press hours after Israel launched a ground operation into Gaza on

Saturday night. Full story

Israel' Barak says Gaza operation not

to be short, easy

JERUSALEM,

Jan. 3 (Chinese media) -- Israel Defense Forces (IDF) operation against Palestinian

militants in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip will be neither short nor easy,

Defense Minister Ehud Barak said Saturday evening.

Barak made the remarks while addressing the nation in a

special televised press conference following the launch of the IDF ground

incursion. Full story