Gaza split by Israel invasion

rom NICK PARKER
Chief Foreign Correspondent
in Israel

Published: Today
rigTeaserImage
THE terrorist-plagued Gaza Strip was scythed in TWO yesterday — as Israeli ground troops swept in with tanks and helicopter gunships.

The ferocious blitz on Hamas fanatics firing rockets across the border followed a week of air strikes on their lairs.

Today the onslaught was feared to have taken the Palestinian death toll since Israel began hitting back after Christmas to more than 530.

At least 64 were killed yesterday. Israeli commanders said one of their troops died.

Meanwhile the list of Gazas wounded in the past week was said to have soared to 2,600.

Israel vowed to halt the terror raining down on its own citizens for good.

But even as its troops rooted out those responsible at least 45 MORE rockets and mortar shells screeched out of the skies to explode deep inside its territory.

The towns of Netivot and Beersheba were among those hit. To the north in Sderot a woman was injured as one slammed into her house.

Among civilian casualties in Gaza yesterday was a Palestinian Oxfam paramedic killed in an ambulance by an explosion.The ambulances driver was injured in the blast. A fellow medic lost a foot.

Oxfam chief John Prideaux-Brune said: Hospitals are overflowing with dead and wounded while facing severe shortages of essential medical supplies.

Bombardment ... heavy artillery firing on Gaza from behind the Israel border

Bombardment ... heavy artillery firing on Gaza from behind the Israel border

Oxfam and local partners have had to suspend all our work, apart from emergency medical aid.

Defiant Hamas guerillas were feared to have taken to a secret network of underground tunnels — in a tactic perfected by Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Warren

That terror group claimed victory when Israel was forced to move out in 2006.

Assault ... graphic shows targets hit and troop crossings

Assault ... graphic shows targets hit and troop crossings

Its killers used the underground warren to pop up and massacre Israeli forces.

Yesterday one Hamas leader claimed that the thousands of advancing troops and tanks had fallen into a similar trap.

He sneered: They have come to where we wanted and they will soon receive our gifts.

Fellow terrorists claimed to have laid ambushes and booby traps around their strongholds.

The suburbs of Gaza City and the town of Beit Lahiya saw some of the heaviest fighting yesterday after Israel staged its stealth attack in the night.

Columns of tanks poured over the border at a series of carefully selected points.

Fierce fighting erupted immediately. Parachute flares dramatically lit up the scene.

Innocent victim ... wounded Palestinian child is carried to hospital in Gaza's Beit Lahiya

Innocent victim ... wounded Palestinian child is carried to hospital in Gaza's Beit Lahiya

In the Hamas stronghold of Zeitoun, troops were locked in gun battles with extremists. Israel said just ONE of its soldiers was killed yesterday — although around 40 were wounded. Hamas claimed to have captured two enemy soldiers. But Tel Aviv insisted none of its men was missing.

Israeli commanders warned the offensive could last for many days.

But pressure for a ceasefire looked certain to mount as the civilian toll climbed.

Gaza is just 30 miles long and seven miles at its widest — but is one of the most densely packed places in the world with 1.5million people. Yesterdays ground assault followed days of air and artillery strikes aimed at Hamas leaders.

At least three were killed — with Abu Zakariya, 40, the most senior. He had masterminded the rocket attacks on Israel from Gaza City.

Casualty of war ... wounded Israeli soldier is taken on stretcher to hospital in Beersheba

Casualty of war ... wounded Israeli soldier is taken on stretcher to hospital in Beersheba

Yesterdays risky operation was ordered to mop up remaining resistance. In Gaza City at least five Palestinians were killed and 40 wounded.

Twelve died in Beit Lahiya. In the southern town of Rafah, a man and two teenage sons were killed.

Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak insisted the aim of the ground push was solely to protect southern Israel from Hamas rocket attacks.

He declared: It wont be easy. It wont be short. Hamass armed wing, the Izz el-Deen al-Qassam Brigades, vowed death to the advancing Israeli forces. Spokesman Abu Ubaida ranted: The Zionist enemy must know his battle in Gaza is a losing one.

As Palestinian civilians took refuge in their homes, humanitarian agencies warned water, food and medicines were in desperately short supply.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• israel
• gaza
• war
• split
• terror
• attack

[pmoyer50]

@rpssangadji : It will after God throws all of you in Hell.

[pmoyer50]

Maybe if Israel's heathen neighbors would stop firing rockets at her this all would stop. The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob blesses Israel and the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob curses all those who intend her harm.

[pmoyer50]

@dudeyousuckreally : God bless Israel. Your heathen neighbors surely don't worship the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

[deadoverisrael]

All israels pigs must be die 00212 661086181

[dudeyousuckreally]

I'm from Israel, and I can say they deserved everything we did to them.

Fuck those godless pricks

[sincualto]

porque si muere un isreali tienen que morir 50 arabes(aleatoriamente matados)

(i dont want reponses)

[rpssangadji]

go hell man !

[Chris51]

Defenceless palestinians? Ha. What about hamas using its own people as shields. What about hamas killing men, women and children who try to leave palestine? You are an ignorant brain dead tosser.

[Chris51]

Racist

[Chris51]

Hey muslims - kiss your arses goodbye