Israel shuns appeals for a truce
Güncelleme Tarihi:
Daily News with wires
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Aralık 31, 2008 00:00
ISTANBUL - Israel shunned world appeals for a truce, hit the Gaza Strip with more deadly airstrikes and warned its military action could last weeks, while Hamas vowed to keep up rocket attacks on Israeli cities.
Despite pleas by U.N. chief Ban Ki-Moon for an end to the "unacceptable" violence that has sparked outrage in the Muslim world and protests in many countries, Israel waved aside calls for a cease-fire, saying the military "has made preparations for long weeks of action." Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told President Shimon Peres on Tuesday that the current, aerial phase of the operation is "the first of several" that have been approved, an Olmert spokesman said. B>
Mushir al-Masri, a Hamas official, countered: "We are not begging for calm and there is no room to talk about calm amid the continued aggression and siege."
More than 370 Palestinians have been killed since the Israeli air onslaught against Gaza's Islamic Hamas rulers began Saturday, shortly after a rocky, six-month truce expired, reported The Associated Press. Most were members of Hamas security forces but included at least 64 were civilians, according to U.N. figures. Children again fell victim to Israel's "all-out war," with two sisters dying when a missile slammed into their donkey cart in the northern Gaza town of Beit Hanun on Tuesday.
With thousands of ground troops, backed by tanks and artillery, massed on the Gaza border, and the air force knocking off target after target, the big question looming over the operation was whether it would expand to include a land invasion. Israeli security officials weren't tipping their hands, but Defense Minister Ehud Barak reiterated that the operation would "expand as needed ... to restore tranquility to (Israel's) south and deliver a blow to Hamas."
The campaign has brought a new reality to southern Israel, too, where one-tenth of the country's population of 7 million has suddenly found itself within rocket range. Militants, battered but unbowed, have pressed on with their rocket and mortar assaults, killing three Israeli civilians and a soldier and bringing a widening circle of targets into their sights with an arsenal of more powerful weapons. Of the four Israelis killed since the operation began Saturday
Egypt, which has been blockading Gaza, has come under pressure from the rest of the Arab world to reopen its border with the territory because of the Israeli campaign. But Egyptian President Hosni Muabarak said that his country would not open the crossing unless the moderate Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas regains control of the border post.
Israel has allowed a trickle of aid through its cargo crossings with Gaza despite the military campaign, agreeing to allow 100 trucks in on Tuesday, defense officials said. Separately, Israel's navy turned back a boat of pro-Palestinian protesters who had hoped to enter Gaza to demonstrate against the Israeli blockade, reported Reuters.
Rebuffing Arab appeals, the U.S. gave the offensive strong support but said it was also working behind the scenes to forge a truce. "The U.S. understands that Israel needs to take actions to defend itself," Agence France-Presse quoted White House spokesman as saying.
Mushir al-Masri, a Hamas official, countered: "We are not begging for calm and there is no room to talk about calm amid the continued aggression and siege."
More than 370 Palestinians have been killed since the Israeli air onslaught against Gaza's Islamic Hamas rulers began Saturday, shortly after a rocky, six-month truce expired, reported The Associated Press. Most were members of Hamas security forces but included at least 64 were civilians, according to U.N. figures. Children again fell victim to Israel's "all-out war," with two sisters dying when a missile slammed into their donkey cart in the northern Gaza town of Beit Hanun on Tuesday.
With thousands of ground troops, backed by tanks and artillery, massed on the Gaza border, and the air force knocking off target after target, the big question looming over the operation was whether it would expand to include a land invasion. Israeli security officials weren't tipping their hands, but Defense Minister Ehud Barak reiterated that the operation would "expand as needed ... to restore tranquility to (Israel's) south and deliver a blow to Hamas."
The campaign has brought a new reality to southern Israel, too, where one-tenth of the country's population of 7 million has suddenly found itself within rocket range. Militants, battered but unbowed, have pressed on with their rocket and mortar assaults, killing three Israeli civilians and a soldier and bringing a widening circle of targets into their sights with an arsenal of more powerful weapons. Of the four Israelis killed since the operation began Saturday
Egypt, which has been blockading Gaza, has come under pressure from the rest of the Arab world to reopen its border with the territory because of the Israeli campaign. But Egyptian President Hosni Muabarak said that his country would not open the crossing unless the moderate Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas regains control of the border post.
Israel has allowed a trickle of aid through its cargo crossings with Gaza despite the military campaign, agreeing to allow 100 trucks in on Tuesday, defense officials said. Separately, Israel's navy turned back a boat of pro-Palestinian protesters who had hoped to enter Gaza to demonstrate against the Israeli blockade, reported Reuters.
Rebuffing Arab appeals, the U.S. gave the offensive strong support but said it was also working behind the scenes to forge a truce. "The U.S. understands that Israel needs to take actions to defend itself," Agence France-Presse quoted White House spokesman as saying.