Tanks ready along Israeli border

Israeli tanks massed at the Gaza border on Monday as warplanes continued pounding Hamas targets in the densely populated enclave where raids have killed more than 300 people in two days.




Dozens of tanks and personnel carriers idled at several points near the border after Israel warned it could launch a ground offensive in addition to its massive air blitz.




Hamas responded to the continuing bombardment by firing rockets the farthest yet into Israel, with one striking not far from Ashdod, Israel's second-largest port, some 30 kilometres (18 miles) north of Gaza. It caused no casualties, medics said.




The Islamist movement accused Israel of "committing a holocaust as the whole world watches and doesn't lift a finger to stop it."




Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhum said the movement "reserves the right to hit back at this aggression with martyr operations," meaning suicide bombings of the sort Hamas has not carried out inside Israel since January 2005.




Britain, France and Russia joined the growing international chorus for a halt to the violence.




Pope Benedict XVI implored the international community to do "all it can to help the Israelis and Palestinians on this dead-end road... and not to give in to the perverse logic of confrontation and violence."




UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon added his voice to the UN Security Council's call for an immediate end to hostilities, with his spokeswoman saying "he strongly urges once again an immediate stop to all acts of violence."




But Israeli Defence Minster Ehud Barak vowed to "expand and deepen" the bombing blitz, which was unleashed in retaliation for persistent rocket fire by militant groups.




"If it's necessary to deploy ground forces to defend our citizens, we will do so," his spokesman quoted him as saying.

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[iraqifighter1]

if it really would be any hidden mission i think this reporter had been simply killed.

[CORNCOBBLER103]

They invaded

[IDFArmor]

i was one of those soldiers in that gathering zone, i would've given you an awesome interview :P

[beatrice1180]

What was the date that this air'd ?