January 6, 2008

GAZA STRIP (ANS) -- Israeli tanks and infantry battalions swept to the edges of Gaza City Sunday, battling die-hard Hamas fighters and sealing off the bomb-scarred capital city from the rest of the coastal territory.

James Hider and Azmi Keshawi in a story published by Times Online said that with the civilian death toll rising by the hour and diplomatic efforts to halt the fighting making no headway, the head of the UN refugee agency called the situation a “catastrophe.”

Times Online reported that Israel was clear that it was not about to heed calls for a swift ceasefire to “Operation Cast Lead.” It said it had to smash Hamas and destroy its weapons stockpile in order to ensure a lasting peace not just for its citizens, who have endured years of Palestinian rocket fire, but for the people of Gaza themselves.

Times Online reported that Ehud Barak, the Defense Minister and architect of the assault on Gaza, said that the operation would be “expanded and intensified” as much necessary. He added, “War is not a picnic.”

Hamas fired more rockets into southern Israel Sunday despite the Israeli army’s push to the edges of Gaza City. With armored columns pressing in from three different points on the northern end of the strip and from the center, the territory was cut in half.

Times Online reported Israeli forces pushed all the way to the seashore just south of Gaza. They secured the hilly area where the Jewish settlement and Israeli army base of Netzarim once stood before the Gaza pullout ordered by Ariel Sharon, the former Israeli leader who suffered a debilitating stroke exactly three years ago.

With the north sealed off and heavy fighting under way between Israeli forces and Hamas guerrillas, more Israeli tanks moved into the southern area of the strip, cutting off Rafah, and its key smuggling tunnels under the Egyptian border.

Times Online said the incursion stopped the trickle of aid trucks that had been making their way to Gaza’s hospitals, depleted of medicines and fuel for their emergency generators.

Times Online reported that John Ging, the head of the UN refugee agency in the Gaza Strip said, “We have a catastrophe unfolding in Gaza for the civilian population. They’re in their houses, they’re not safe, they’re being killed and injured in very large numbers, and they have no end in sight.”

Times Online reported that with fighting moving ever closer to Gaza City, many were simply fleeing their homes after tanks shells hit residential buildings in the cramped streets of the strip. But there was nowhere to go, with Israeli forces blocking the road south and trundling in from the north and east, and navy gunships shelling from the Mediterranean.

Israeli Security Cabinet Minister Comments

On Sunday’s edition of CNN's “Late Edition with Wolf Blitzer,” Israeli security cabinet minister, Isaac Herzog, spoke about the ongoing conflict between Israel and Gaza and intelligence he has received that indicates Hamas is looking for a way out of the situation.

Herzog said Hamas is under huge pressure. “And part of the problem is, of course -- and that's very important for your viewers and listeners to understand -- that the Middle East is now divided between two coalitions.”

Herzog told Blitzer that there's the moderate coalitions of Arab nations, which, together with Israel and Turkey and the Palestinian Authority headed by President Abbas, understands the need to move to peace, to a two-state solution, peace between Israel and Palestine, and the containment of the Iranian influence in the region.”

However, he continued, “The other coalition, the coalition of hatred, is a coalition headed by Tehran with two agents, Hezbollah and Hamas. And Hamas is getting orders from Tehran, and this is part of the problem, of course.”

Blitzer asked Herzog about the humanitarian crisis facing the 1.5 million Palestinians stuck in the region.

Herzog said it’s a major issue and one that they have been dealing with since the inception of the crisis.

He said, “We have increased dramatically the amount of supplies and trucks going into Gaza ... We're scrutinizing and reviewing this constantly. So far, the situation is stable, despite the pressure, despite the pains of many Gazans.”

However, Herzog said, because of Hamas’ mingling with civilians and being in apartments, houses, schools and stores, the difficulty of the situation is compounded.

He said, “Part of the circumstances are that in certain neighborhoods, when we are trying to find out where the launchers are, the missiles are, there are pains and there are difficult moments.”

Blitzer asked Herzog what it would take for the Israeli government to call a halt to the entire operation.

Herzog was unequivocal in his response. He told Blitzer, “A very clear understanding that a dramatic change has been introduced into the Israel/Gaza border, whereby one side ... cannot just simply press a button in the morning and launch a missile into Israeli homes.”

He added, “We are not aiming at eradicating Hamas, changing its regime. We want to protect our citizens. This is our aim.”

A Dad's Perspective 

Perhaps one Israeli brought the situation into perspective. In an open e-mail obtained by ANS, he wrote in part, “It brought tears to my eyes to watch on television, the 19-22 year old kids march into the Gaza strip, into the horror of face to face battle. My father did that, I did it, and to think my two sons will have to do it too ... Israel is the best country in the world, but we pay a heavy price for the wonderful life we have here.”

He added, “ I have a neighbor ... Her son, 20, is a sergeant in one of the of the Elite IDF units. One hour ago, I passed by her house and I saw her crying on the street with another neighbor. I asked her what happened. She said to me, ‘My son just called me and said, ‘Mommy, I love you, and my cell phone will be off in the next few days,’ and then he hanged up.’”

The writer of the e-mail concluded, “(My neighbor) will not sleep tonight. I think about 8,000 moms and dads (who) will not sleep tonight. Pray for our kids in the front lines.”

Copyright 2008 ASSIST News Service