Israel vows ‘long’ Gaza campaign
Israel says it is ready for "long weeks of action" as it continues its fiercest air assault on Gaza for decades to stamp out militant rocket attacks.
Palestinian officials say 10 people died in the latest attacks, taking the death toll to over 360 since Saturday. Four Israelis have died in rocket fire.
Israeli Interior Minister Meir Sheetrit rejected any ceasefire until the threat of rockets was removed completely.
A UN human rights monitor accused Israel of "shocking atrocities".
Richard Falk – the special rapporteur for human rights in the Palestinian territories – said the international community must put more pressure on Israel to end its attacks on Gaza.
"Israel is committing a shocking series of atrocities by using modern weaponry against a defenceless population – attacking a population that has been enduring a severe blockade for many months," Mr Falk said in a BBC interview.
The UN says at least 62 of the Palestinians killed so far have been women and children, and it is calling for an investigation into attacks which causing heavy civilian casualties.
Coastal clash
Israeli jets attacked targets linked to the Hamas movement, which controls the Gaza Strip, for a fourth day, hitting a number of government buildings and security installations.
Forty people were said to have been wounded in Tuesday’s raids.
"The Israeli army must not stop the operation before breaking the will of the Palestinians, of Hamas, to continue to fire at Israel," Mr Sheetrit told Israel Radio.
The Israeli military "has made preparations for long weeks of action," added Matan Vilnai, a deputy defence minister, in another interview.
One air strike on Tuesday killed two sisters, the oldest aged 11, riding in a donkey cart in Beit Hanoun, northern Gaza, Palestinian medical sources said.
Separately, Israeli naval vessels blocked pro-Palestinian activists trying to carry medical aid to Gaza by sea and escorted their boat back to Cyprus.
The activists said one naval vessel had rammed them after they ignored warning shots fired across their bow. Israeli officials said a collision had occurred, causing damage to boats but no injuries.
Israel has massed forces along the boundary with Gaza and political leaders have not ruled out ground operations.
The Egyptian-Gaza border was sealed on Tuesday morning after trucks carrying aid and some wounded Palestinians were allowed to cross on Monday.
European Union foreign ministers are scheduled to to meet in Paris later (1730 GMT) to discuss the escalating crisis.
The meeting, hosted by French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner, is expected to consider the idea of an humanitarian aid corridor, and how to bring additional aid to Gaza’s beleaguered 1.5m population.
Angry protests
Dozens of centres of Hamas strength, including security compounds, government offices and tunnels into Egypt, have been hit since Israel started its massive bombing campaign on Saturday morning.
Israel says its aim is to end the rocket attacks by Hamas-linked militants – of which there have more than 60 since Monday morning.
There have been angry protests against the offensive in many cities across the Arab world and in several European capitals.
The strikes began less than a week after the expiry of a six-month-long ceasefire deal with Hamas, which has controlled Gaza since 2007.
Analysts say Israeli political leaders were under pressure to act against rocket fire with a general election looming in early February.
Israel dismantled its strategic settlements and military bases in Gaza in 2005 but has kept tight control over access in and out of the narrow coastal strip and its airspace.
Story from BBC NEWS
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Posted by Axxa News Team
on Dec 30 2008. Filed under News.
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