Ground Battles and Air Strikes in Gaza

TEL AVIV – INTERNATIONAL – The Israeli military continue their strikes in Gaza, in the worst flare-up in Israeli-Palestinian violence in almost two years. Israeli aircraft and naval gunboats attacked 204 targets in the strip overnight, according to the army.

Palestinian health officials said at least 20 people were wounded.

Palestinian militants fired more than 20 rockets into Israel, the Israeli military added but no casualties were reported.

In the north of Gaza more than a quarter of the residents of Beit Lahiya fled, after Israel had threatened to intensify attacks in the area.

Some sought shelter in UN agency-run schools.

Palestian resident of Gaza Manar Al Attar stated, “There is no water not in the bathrooms or for drinking, people come from outside and donate it. We left our homes and belongings, everything, and came here where there is nothing, a standard below that of animals. Our children are sleeping on the floor.”

Despite international pressure, there remains no let up in the fighting.

Time is reporting, “If Israel had been planning to hit Hamas and its infrastructure only with air strikes, which the Israel Air Force can do from a comfortably safe distance, it wouldn’t have called up 40,000 of its reserves last week. A country as small as Israel doesn’t fight militants in a territory as tiny as Gaza with tens of thousands of soldiers unless they’re planning to send them in the old-fashioned way, on foot and by tank.

“This much-anticipated ground invasion began gradually on Sunday, when Israeli commandos entered the northern Gaza Strip and attacked a site apparently used for launching rockets. Later, with four soldiers lightly injured in an exchange of fire with Hamas gunmen, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) declared mission accomplished.”

FILES: DAILY MOTION / REUTERS