Posted on 07/18/2014 10:02:14 AM PDT by PoloSec
Israeli troops and tanks are engaged in fierce fighting in Gaza following the launch of a military ground operation on Thursday night with the initial aim of destroying Hamas tunnels that could be used to launch attacks on Israel.
In a night of sustained bombardment as well as fighting on the ground, Israel suffered its first military casualty of the 11-day war. The dead soldier – named as Eitan Barak, 20 – was possibly killed by so-called friendly fire in the north of Gaza. Two others were injured.
The Palestinian death toll since the start of the conflict passed 274, including at least 28 who were killed overnight, according to health officials in Gaza, with more than 2,000 injured. Israel launched air strikes against more than 100 targets overnight. Unrwa, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, said the number of displaced Gazans had almost doubled in the past 24 hours with more than 40,000 seeking sanctuary with the UN.
Hamas has warned Israel of "dreadful consequences" of the conflict's escalation. A statement issued by the Palestinian group warned: "We're with you in the field, and we aren't afraid of the ground assault."
The Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, was visiting Turkey on Friday for talks on a ceasefire to halt Israel's ground offensive in the Gaza Strip after meetings on Thursday with the Egyptian president, Abdel Fatah al-Sisi, as well as a senior Hamas official in Cairo.
Turkey, a long-time supporter of the Palestinian Islamist movement, is trying to use its influence to stop the fighting. On Thursday Recep Tayyip Erdoğan lashed out at both the UN and other Muslim countries for not taking action to stop the Israeli offensive against Gaza, which he said amounted to "systematic genocide".
(Excerpt) Read more at theguardian.com ...
I think Israel's tired of being bullied by Hamas... and it's about time....
Friendly fire. Nothing like fighting at night in an urban environment. Very difficult situation to be sure.
“Hamas has warned Israel of “dreadful consequences” of the conflict’s escalation.”
Not if theres none of ‘em left.
Any of those casualties Code Pink or Bill Ayers?
Pray America wakes up
Doesn't Abbas have much to gain the longer that Israel bashes Hamas?
Since Palis love death more than life...
Let the bodies pile up....
274? It’s a start.
But then they are doing it in order to give the bleeding heart media ammunition to attack Israel. The media is the Palestinians most potent weapon and the more of their own people are killed, the more the liberal hearts bleed and call for Israel's surrender.
Those deaths should be laid at the feet of liberal politicians and the mainstream media. They have blood on their hands and it is the blood of their beloved Jew Hating Palestinians
Even more strange is Egypt refusing to let people leave Gaza.
Looks like one side is winning.
It took an empty suit in the white house to get Israel to act in her better interests and quit farting around with murderous children.
Israel has been big on “model airplane” type drones for decades. I wonder what kind of eyes they have in the sky for this thing.
Not really - Hamas is aligned with the enemies of Egypt’s government, and Hamas is well known for disguising its “leaders” and fighters as civilians.
I would consider it self-defense, myself.
Suicide by cop
Suicide by soldier
Look out virgins, here they come!
This Paleo death toll is just about all combat deaths. You fight the Israelis and you just might die today! And meet your pagan moon god.
I’ll bet there hasn’t been a recorded Arab death within 500 to 750 miles of the Gaza Strip over the last three or four days, other than these ‘victims’ of Israeli crimes /s.
C’mon Sean Penn.. pay a visit to your Hamas buds in Gaza.
But a paltry one. The Israelis had better get far more busy with that body count before they catch increased pressure for a "ceasefire."
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