Tweet
An Israeli ground invasion of the Gaza Strip appears to be just a matter of time. An army spokeswoman said the ground forces were ready. The Israeli government says it won't call a cease-fire until Hamas stops firing rockets into Israel.
Israel's army said on Tuesday it had completed preparations for a ground invasion of the Gaza Strip as air raids on sites connected to the militant group Hamas entered their fourth day.
"The ground forces are ready," an army spokeswoman said. "The option (of a ground operation) exists. It is possible that we will apply it but for the moment we are only hitting from the air and the sea."
Israel on Tuesday rejected any truce with Hamas until Palestinian militants stopped firing rockets into Israel and said its air strikes heralded "long weeks of military action."
On the fourth day of the air raids, at least 10 Palestinians were killed, including two sisters aged 10 and 12. Medical officials put Palestinian casualties since Israel launched its attacks on Saturday at 348 dead with more than 800 wounded. A United Nations agency said at least 62 of the dead were civilians. Four Israelis -- three civilians and a soldier -- have been killed by Palestinian rockets since the air strikes began.
Israeli media quoted Prime Minister Ehud Olmert as saying the Gaza operation was in "the first of a several stages."
The United Nations has called for an immediate truce. But Israeli Interior Minister Meir Sheetrit said "there is no room for a cease-fire" with Hamas until the threat of rocket fire had been removed. "The Israeli army must not stop the operation before breaking the will of the Palestinians, of Hamas, to continue to fire at Israel," he told Israel Radio.
Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum has urged Palestinian groups to respond using "all available means" against Israel, including "martyrdom operations," which means suicide bombings..... la suite
Commentaire