Posted on 07/08/2006 4:59:45 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
GAZA (Reuters) - Israel launched rapid-fire air strikes against Palestinian militants across the Gaza Strip on Sunday after rebuffing a proposed ceasefire by Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas.
Israel is threatening to expand its offensive unless militants release Corporal Gilad Shalit, an Israeli soldier abducted in a cross-border raid on June 25, and halt rocket fire on Israeli cities.
At least three militants were injured in an early morning air strike near the Karni commercial crossing, Palestinian medics and police said.
Israel also bombed a key bridge in northern Gaza, despite an appeal from the United Nations to stop targeting the strip's fragile infrastructure.
The army said the goal was to prevent militants from transporting rockets to launch sites.
In southern Gaza, Israel bombed a militant training camp. No one was hurt. "It was being used to direct attacks," an army spokesman said.
Israel killed seven Palestinians, including a 6-year-old girl and a policeman, on Saturday, Palestinian witnesses said.
About 50 Palestinians -- and one Israeli soldier -- have been killed so far in the offensive, launched on June 28 to pile pressure on the Hamas-led Palestinian government, already on the brink of financial collapse from a Western aid embargo.
Israeli tanks withdrew from much of the northern Gaza Strip on Saturday but soldiers remain in the southern part of the territory and have deployed close to the outskirts of Gaza City.
"We will soon begin operations in other places," Israeli Military Southern Command Chief Yoav Galant told Israeli media. "I see no reason to stop the offensive as long as they are holding our soldier."
Galant said the Israeli offensive, criticized by the European Union and United Nations, had no time limit and that troops were prepared to continue it for "a month, two months and more if needed."
U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan called both sides to exercise restraint and respect their obligations under international law.
"As I have repeatedly stated, I am extremely concerned about the dangerous situation in the occupied Palestinian Territory. I am appealing for urgent action to alleviate the desperate humanitarian situation of the civilian population," Annan said.
"The Israeli air strikes on Gaza's only power plant have had a far-reaching impact on Gaza's hospitals, flour mills, water and sanitation systems," he said.
Haniyeh said Israel's withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and a halt to military actions could "make it easy for us to end the crisis" over Shalit.
Israel said it would only pull its troops out if militants halted rocket attacks and released the soldier.
The Islamist Hamas and other militant groups have demanded Israel make the first move by releasing hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the soldier. The Jewish state has rejected this.
"Our intentions are to bring security for Israel citizens and to release Gilad," Galant said. "If someone expects us to play into the hands of the Palestinians, they are mistaken."
(Additional reporting by Adam Entous and Corinne Heller in Jerusalem)
I would ask Hamas and its supporters?
Is one hostage worth the cost?
Black smoke is seen during an Israeli bombardment over the town of Beit Lahiya, northern Gaza Strip July 8, 2006. UN chief Kofi Annan called for an immediate stop to what he called Israel's 'disproportionate use of force' in Gaza but also pressed for the release of an Israeli soldier snatched by Palestinian militants. (Yannis Behrakis/Reuters)
The answer appears to be, "Yes."
Well dammit IDF, try harder. Bombs and air raids are expensive. Next time make sure somebody gets hurt.
L
"I would ask Hamas and its supporters: Is one hostage worth the cost?"
I dont expect rational answers from irrational animals.
Israel needs to level every structure that stands above 1 inch from the ground. Turn every structure, house-garage-toilet-any building into dust. No hidey holes; no rocket launches.
If this is the child that was killed when a building was blown up, it is not at all clear that the explosion was due to an Israeli strike. If I know this is in dispute, al-Reuters does as well. I suppose they could be referring to another incident of which I have not heard.
We must keep in mind many of them have never had a formal much less adequate education, or at least I would think that to be the case.
As to the leaders of the Hamas and PLO , one can only shake ones head that they ever rose to power.
I know I stating the obvious here, but Annan is utterly, utterly useless. HAM-ASS started it and Israel will see that it finishes it, unless HAM-ASS comes to senses and releases the soldier unharmed. If Kofi had any brains, cojones, and common sense, he would tell HAM-ASS the obvious.
But no, Mr. Let's-all-try-to-play-nice Kofi wants to tell both sides to cool it.
Honestly, I don't know who's more useless: the U.N. or dhimmocRATS.
Fox News just reported that eyewitnesses say Israeli tanks are moving back into Northern Gaza. Fox also reports that Israel denies they're moving back in. So...
I think it's time Israel increased the consequences of taking one hostage by continuing to disable the infrastructure. In time the people will either rise up against Hamas itself or die for their cause.
Israel has been patient enough, time to take off the gloves and up the ante
Emperor-of-Terrorists: "Hostage? What hostage? Who cares?"
Suicide bombers? What suicide bombers? Who cares?"
Islamic rockets murdering and terrorizing innocent civilians? What rockets? What schools? Who cares?"
Islamic calendars in my office before 911 predicting 911? What calendars? Who cares?"
I am, and we in the UN are, for any and all terrorists.
We are for any and all attacks on America and its allies.
We are for slavery, subjugation of women, graft, rape and corruption.
Without those things, we are nothing."
The UN is a terrorist organization supporting murderers, rapists, slavers and terrorists.
Re my post #8, this is apparently the same incident, which, as I indicated was of dubious connection to the IDF, which Reuters must know, but chose to attribute the death of the 6 year old to the Israelis anyway. Here is "the rest of the story," thanks to sofaman for the post:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1662532/posts
Noxious weeds sprouting amid the rubble of a failed culture. Cleaning up this horrid mess that surrounds Israel will require years of decisive action. They can start by pulling the weeds in their own gardens.
The hostage is just a symbol. Hamas is defending Arab "honor." They are ready to suffer and die for it. Anything they can do to humiliate the Jews, such as holding on to the hostage, is worth the suffering, in their eyes. In fact, suffering makes them more worthy in the eyes of Allah.
"I would ask Hamas and its supporters?
Is one hostage worth the cost?"
I'll answer it for them, YES! Hamass wants war with the "zionist entity." That's what these people are all about. They are a single issue party in paleoland, and that issue is war with their hated neighbor. We need to give Israel the go-ahead to rid gaza of these parasitic vermin. Gaza needs to be de-loused, in a big way.
The Friggn UN gets spit in the face by the likes of SUDAN NORTH KOREA and SOMOLIA, now Israel with it's might and Nukes are someone the UN wants to mess with???
What IDIOTS!!!
Galant said the Israeli offensive, criticized by the European Union, aka France, and United Nations, aka Russia, China, and France, had no time limit and that troops were prepared to continue it for "a month, two months and more if needed."
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