Air strikes kill 225 in Gaza as Israel hits Hamas

Russia Today: http://www.russiatoday.com/news/news/35354
December 28, 2008, 3:15

Air strikes kill 225 in Gaza as Israel hits Hamas

Israel has vowed to continue a bombing offensive that has so far killed 225 people in Gaza and injured at least 400 others. The government in Tel Aviv said Saturdays air strikes were in retaliation for Hamas rocket attacks on southern Israel.

Using F-16 fighter planes, Israels air force targeted Hamas security installations. However, civilian facilities were also hit and an unknown number of ordinary Palestinian citizens were killed.

Hamas has vowed to avenge the action with suicide attacks on Israeli streets and cafes.

"We will not compromise or back down on our religion or cause, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh said. If you kill thousands of us, you will not be able to kill our spirit, our honor, our dignity, our resistance, our loyalty to our martyrs nor our loyalty to this novel quest."

Earlier, Israeli military spokesman Avi Benayahu said the bombardment of Gaza was "only the beginning." Israeli leaders said the operation would continue as long as necessary and suggested land forces might be involved, suggesting an invasion of Gaza hadnt been ruled out.

The countrys Foreign Minister, Tzipi Livni, said Israeli government had a responsibility to defend its people against terrorists and its final goal was to bring peace to the region.

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert appealed to the Palestinians.

"You, the citizens of Gaza are not our enemies, he said. Hamas, Jihad and the other terrorist organisations are your enemies as they are our enemies. They brought disaster on you and they try to bring disaster to the people of Israel."

The strike comes eight days after a six-month ceasefire between Israel and Hamas expired. Both sides accuse the other of not adhering to their commitments.

There's no talk of another truce for the moment.

The bombing raids were aimed at Hamas security compounds. Most of the casualties were said to be in Gaza City, although there are reports of casualties in the settlement of Khan Younis.

Hospitals in the territory are struggling to cope with the numbers of casualties. There are reports of the injured being placed on stretchers on hospital floors due to the lack of beds. Egypt has reopened its border with Gaza and is taking some of the casualties.

According to preliminary information, most of the injured are members of Hamas or the Gaza police controlled by the Islamist movement. The head of the Gaza police was among those killed.

Some of the missiles landed in highly populated areas as children were leaving school. There were reports of parents frantically looking for their children on the streets.

Israel said the strikes were in retaliation for the recent barrage of rocket and mortar fire against Israeli towns by Gaza militants.

In response to the attacks, Hamas fired several medium-range missiles at Israel, killing one Israeli and injuring at least four.

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert issued a "last-minute" appeal to Palestinians in Gaza on Thursday to stop rocket fire at Israel and promised to use "Israel's strength" to strike Hamas.

International reaction

The EU has urged an immediate halt to Israeli air strikes and Palestinian attacks in and around Gaza.

Moscow has also called on Israel to stop the large-scale use of force against the Gaza Strip. It has also urged Hamas to stop rocket attacks on Israel.

"Moscow is confident that the most urgent thing for the present day is to stop armed confrontation, restore the truce and release civilians on both sides from horror and pain," Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Andrey Nesterenko said.

Washington gave tacit support for Israels action. However, the US has urged Israel to avoid civilian casualties when targetting the Palestinian militant group. A White House spokesman added that Hamas must stop rocket attacks on Israel if the violence is to end.

Thousands of people took to the streets across the Arab world showing their fury at Israel's actions.

The Arab League will gather on Sunday in the Egyptian capital Cairo to discuss the escalation of violence in Gaza.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Israel
• Hamas
• Palestine
• Gaza

[cctvupload]

About the recent Gaza attack, please be restrained and not to attack or demonize Israeli, Jewish or any other people as a race, nationality or religion.

Of course, to defend or criticize a specific geopolitical even with the harshest words is still protected by the YouTube's terms of use and, U.S. Constitution because YouTube and its parent company Google are physically located in the U.S. and under the jurisdiction of the U.S. and U.S. legislation.

[keenanone]

Hamas is the reason for the killing, the press highlights Isreal's actions and during the past months while Hamas has tossed rockets into Isreal, no one cares. But the moment Isreal strikes back they become the bad guys. It is the fault of Hamas that both sides struggle. Palestinians should root out the Hamas terrorists and expose them but alas they are tolerated and the killing goes on, no one wins, when Hamas accepts Isreal's right to exist, then peace will occur, not before.

[SAK297]

u need 2 shut da fuc up, so u believe sum video aired by cnn and american news outlets showing palestinians celebrating eid, and editing it to make it look like they were dancing on 9.11? u are a sucker 4 this poison propaganda, the only ones who were celebratring was the 5 israelis spotted near their van close to the site, hamas longs for a palestinian state, their aim is to end zionist oppression, the zionists are 4 bloodshed palestinians just want their homes back, suk ur muda yeah

[bablibuba]

hamas kill more palastinias ppl than israelis do.. just for you to know

[bablibuba]

maybe we should also use "kasams" agaist them.. it lowers our chances to hit a specific hamas member, but at least it would be fair..

don't judge israel, i wanna see you survive one day in our conditions..

[wwestrugler]

P.S look we have nothing against USA , And the same thing that America has nothing against islam , Our target is to wipe the zionist jews off the map !!!! NOT ALL THE JEWS in order to know how merciful ppl we are .

Got it ? Did not U see Obama when he came to egypt and president Mubarak to address thhe muslim world from the heart of the islamic states"Egypt"!

And what a silly comment U posted!?

WHAT THE PALATENINS HAD TO DO IN USA AGAINST CIVILIANS IN THE WORLD TRADE CENTER,ITS JEW BUILDING.

[Vogulisy]

yeujin200,

The Jews gave the Arabs Gaza back in 2005. Since then Hamas and other groups shot thousands of rockets and mortars to Israel.

Our army would not wait 4 years to hit back...

[Pitttdog]

sak297-how stupid r u? its real hard to beleive muslims celebrating 9/11 when all they preach is death to isreal AND teh US?but i guess it make more sense to believe 5 isrealis(hmm must have been wearing the flag,easy to ID huh?) celebrating openly in the street close by-oops the same street covered in inches of dust?yep.Palestinians r a conquered nation.they have no homes. They can either assimilate or fight. & their military tactic is pretty shit. fire rockets,no result,lose 1000s,no result.

[yeujin200]

so you said the strong who win ,this is style animal and if your people want that, trust me that's can be desaster in this world it can be war neclear.........

and you will blame your selves but it will be late.

olmert and leevny and barak you fuck shame for to all jews

[english62]

although i agree not EVERYONE voted for hamas (obviously the majority did)