Israel continues Gaza assault

Israel continues Gaza assault
Israeli aircraft continued to pound the Gaza Strip for the eight straight day [AFP]
A field commander of the armed wing of Hamas has been killed in the continuing Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip.
Abu Zakaria al-Jamal, a senior figure in the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, died of his wounds on Saturday after Israeli jets bombed his home overnight.
His death came as Israel kept up its deadly assault on Gaza for the eighth straight day. Hamas vowed to defeat the Israeli army if it invaded the territory.
"If you commit the stupidity of launching a ground offensive, then a black destiny awaits you," Khaled Meshaal, the political leader of Hamas, said in a speech.
"You will soon find out that Gaza is the wrath of God," he said.
The warning came as Israeli soldiers, tanks and armoured personnel carriers massed along Gaza's border, preparing for what many speculated could be a ground offensive.
Death and destruction
Medical officials say at least 437 people have died in Gaza and 2,250 have been injured since Israel's aerial bombardment began last week.
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Watch our coverage of the war on GazaFour Israelis have been killed in the same period by Palestinian rockets, including longer-range weapons that have hit the port of Ashdod and the desert town of Beer-sheva.
On Saturday, Israel's military said more than a dozen rockets have been fired over the border.
Palestinians also reported more Israeli air strikes across the Gaza Strip. A school was among the buildings bombed by the Israelis.
Israeli jets have fired more than 700 missiles into Gaza since the assault began last week.
Ayman Mohyeldin, Al Jazeera's correspondent in Gaza, said: "The Israeli military continues to pound targets everywhere in the territory. On the eighth days of attacks people here are very much terrorised by what is going on.
"The Israeli military is engaging in very aggresive psychological warfare. They have been dropping leaflets warning Palestinians that they have to flee their homes and warning that anyone who lives in area that could be a possible target that their home will be targeted as well.
"So that is causing a ripple effect of fear, but the question is where do 1.5 million Palestinians trapped in Gaza go".
Trucks carrying more than 200 tonnes of Syrian Red Crescent aid left Kura Al Assad for Gaza on Saturday as concerns for a looming humanitarian disaster grew.
Israel says that there is a humanitarian crisis in Gaza and that it has increased its shipments of goods into the territory.
Blame game
Meshaal, speaking from the Syrian capital of Damascus on Friday, said Palestinians in Gaza were ready for any land offensive made by the Israelis.
"This battle was imposed on us and we are confident we will achieve victory because we have made our preparations.
"Our position is clear. We will not give in. Our resolve cannot be broken," he said.
"Our demand is also clear. The war must end, the siege lifted, and crossing points open without restriction."
Meshaal says Hamas is prepared to handle an Israeli ground offensive [AFP]But George Bush, the US president, in his first public comments on the hostilities, said Hamas had "instigated" Israel's war on Gaza, referring to the rocket attacks on Israel's southern towns.
"There must be monitoring mechanisms in place to help ensure that smuggling of weapons to terrorist groups in Gaza comes to an end," he said in remarks prepared for his weekly Saturday radio address.
Talking to Al Jazeera, Osama Hamdan, a senior Hamas official in Beirut, said that the party to be blamed for the present situation is Israel, not Hamas.
"It's clear now that Israelis are blocking all the political solutions. The main question is supposed to be what will be the right end for this? And the clear answer is ending the occupation."
Diplomacy
Nicolas Sarkozy, the French president, begins a two-day four-nation tour of the Middle East on Monday, hoping to rally key players behind an initiative for a ceasefire in Gaza.
Sarkozy will visit Egypt and Syria before travelling to Jerusalem on Monday for talks with Ehud Olmert, the Israeli prime minister, and to the West Bank to show support for Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president.
Abbas and several Arab foreign ministers are flying to New York over the weekend to urge the UN Security Council to adopt an Arab draft resolution that would condemn Israel and demand a halt to its bombing campaign in Gaza.
The US has said the draft is "unacceptable" and "unbalanced", because it makes no mention of halting the Hamas rocketing of southern Israel which led to the Israeli offensive.
Smoke rises from the Jabaliya refugee camp in the Gaza Strip after an Israeli attack [AFP]
Most of the 1.5 million people in the densely populated enclave have no means of sheltering from the raids, and humanitarian groups say supplies of food and fuel are running dangerously low.
Hospitals have reported shortages of even the most basic medicines and say they have no more capacity to deal with the growing numbers of casualties.
Karen Abu Zayed, the commissioner for the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) in Gaza, said that in eight years of working in Gaza the need for aid had "never been so acute".
"I am appalled and saddened when I see the suffering around me," she said, adding UNRWA has made an emergency appeal for $34m to help the Gaza population.
Hasan Khalaf, Gaza's assistant deputy health minister, described the ongoing assault on Gaza as "an Israeli massacre".
Source:
Al Jazeera and agencies
Feedback
Number of comments : 35

Ameen salemAfghanistan
03/01/2009
Smart Arab
Hello I am so impressed by some of the Arab governments, they are becoming sneaker, and trickier than the Jews. The first they tricked America to invade Iraq for their own benefit, and now they tricked Israel to invade Gaza. Don’t you think that is brilliant and evil Note: I don’t know, if they pay for all that, or they just smart !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
charterUnited States
03/01/2009
Strange statements from Hamas?
" a black destiny awaits you" Can this be an accurate translation? Its like a line from a comic book.
ArthurUnited States
03/01/2009
Meshal, Hamas and Arab World
Meshal is a coward, hiding in Damascus instead of being with his people. What has the Arab World actually achieved for the Palestinians in the last 60 years and beyond ? Nothing positive. You are ruled by hapless dictators and kings who have done nothing for anyone, especially the Palestinians. Wake up, Arabs, before you are completely under the rule of the fanatics in Tehran. Snuff out Hamas and Hezbollah, so you can move on with your lives and live in peace.
lilianNigeria
03/01/2009
Hamas need to stop its cowardly acts and give up this evil. All its words and acts are always evil. I am thrilled at the way they easily decieve people and make people to believe them and scared of even challenging and calling them to order. Even Aljazeera is also caught in the gimic and you can obviously tell in the way it televise and validate Hamas actions. It is a shame!
John DofartUnited States
03/01/2009
"If you commit the stupidity of launching a ground offensive then a black destiny awaits you," Khaled Meshaal
Or it's the reverse? You Blasted Hamas terrorists!
haniffSouth Africa
03/01/2009
Israel warned over Gaza..
Why can't Mahmoud Abbas reprimand Israel & the Us for branding Hamas as 'terrorists' he should say that they Hamas are liberators of Palestine with different methods, as much as the Israeli military atrocities over the decades, even against Fatah! That would be the first genuine step towards Palestinian unity & neutralise the arrogant, insolent, cowardly & barbaric Zionists.
jay United States
03/01/2009
Israel warned over Gaza invasion
What is black destiny, anything like black death? Israel can do anything it wants in Gaza and there is not a damn thing anyone can do about it. They could turn it into a parking lot if they wanted.
AyubAfghanistan
03/01/2009
Murder in Cold Blood:
I can't believe these Murderous World Leaders actually have to get together and set up a meeting to halt the Aggression.Sarkozy is a Jew,i don't think he cares,it's a front.Bush and his Cronies are pushing for Invasion of Gaza.Israelo will invade gaza and murder thousands and i also think this is a show setup fo Iran..A scare tactic..I don't think Iran is deterred by any of this..The US needs to order the Israeli murderous leaders to stop this aggression..Gazans have the right to move freely...
irodaUnited Kingdom
03/01/2009
GAZA
the only party to blame is Israel.why have they never lifted the siege and the control of the waters/fuel supplies and the borders of Gaza?Hence they are the ones to instigate this war because they wanted to kill innocent and destroy the nation. it has been obvious for 50 years and if the US government doesnt recognise this its people alread have done so. Israel is a terrorist state.Long live Palestine
sadeeqNigeria
03/01/2009
Go hamas God wit u
wat kind of non-sense is USA saying just because of home made rocket the innocent citizen of palestine wil be bomb with the latest military technology?and apart from that wil the americans allow any one to come and occupied the unhabitable desert of texas not to talk of complete us killed the women and children and calling the male ones terrorist is dat acceptable to any country????
arobaAfghanistan
03/01/2009
why is mr. mashaal such a bulshitter???
why dosen't he join his brothers in gaza. there is no problem to enter gazathrough one of the many tunnels?
MatMalaysia
03/01/2009
There was peace before .......
Bush and Rice are simply evil. Others are cowards who are foolishly hoodwinked! How could you allow those bullies to establish a state by chasing the natives out, set up rules and expect them to follow your wishes without them trying to chase you out again? Could you justify the existance of Israel just because their ancestors used to live there and their sacred book says that the land was promised to them? The Jews and Moslems lived peacefully there before the creation of this Israel state!
MiaAfghanistan
03/01/2009
Occupy
At last........ this what Israel goal. INVASION and OCCUPY Gaza.
BenIsrael
03/01/2009
To Hamas - protecting civilians is ont a duty of the government
Note how calmly the Hamas leaders say that most of the victims are civilians (never mind that this is a lie). I thought the duty of the armed forces is portecting the civilians, not hiding behind them. Why couldn't they let the civilians into the underground tunnels they hide in?
AbdulrahmanUnited Kingdom
03/01/2009
Allah is Great
They have got their weapons and we have got the One and only Allah.
Abdelaziz HurreSomalia
03/01/2009
We are plastinaians
the way I see life and the problems around the world are like the weather....and like the wind and breeze. Some are like a sweet summer breeze and comes along to refresh our mind heart and iman and then some are like a storm and like to distroy and hurt things and us, but only allah knows how long that breeze or strong wind will stay with us along the walk in life, but there is a reason and purpose for each one, but no matter what happens in life...even after the storm comes sunshine, and ..
JOEL WAKAYIMAKenya
03/01/2009
THE QUARTET CAN DO BETTER
IF THE QUARTET (UN, EU ETC) FAILS TO FIND A LASTING SOLUTION TO THE PALESTINIAN-ISRAEL QUESTION DURING THE TENURE OF A LESS FUNDAMENTALIST PLESTINIAN PRESIDENT LIKE MAHMOUD ABBAS AND A MORE COMPROMISING EHUD OLMERT THEN PAINSTAKINGLY, THE WORLD SHOULD BE PREPARED TO WAIT MUCH LONGER FOR PEACE TO COME TO THE MIDDLEEAST.
Bigmel1981 Malaysia
03/01/2009
Israel continues Gaza assault
This is man slaughter.
shlomiIsrael
03/01/2009
if we really wanted to just "massacre" gaza. don't you think that we would just bomb the hospitals. or bomb the people who are coming to help after a raid? so don't be blind. our war is against hamas, and that's it...
James McElroyUnited Kingdom
03/01/2009
gaza article
there is not a single israeli voice quoted in your article on the violence in gaza, it's shameful journalism!
IvanRussian Federation
03/01/2009
Stop the War
The war will stop only if arabs will love theirs own children more than they hate jews... Think about it.
DerekAfghanistan
03/01/2009
Mentally sick Israels black destiny.
I'm sorry but the evil Zionists are bombing schools and hospitals and intentionally slaughtering civilians (it's what they do best!) For me, and most of the humanity, Israel has become a cancer which has only ONE fate. Total and utter destruction. If you are Israeli and wish to live a long life then you must do it elsewhere. The problem is not a Jewish one, it is a satanic, Zionist one. Goodbye Israel. It has not been nice knowing you.
livniAfghanistan
03/01/2009
Gaza
Since 1968, israel could not control the 36,000 square miles it occupied. It failed in lebanon and still failing in west Bank and gaza. Oh my god, these are real signs of a superpower. Now, it resortes to using its master (US) weapons to beat up the smallest cat in the neigborhood. Impressive and we are scared. hahahahaha
alazzamUnited States
03/01/2009
No comment section, Why.
Please consider to allow readers to comment on all articels. Thanks Mustafa Al-azzam
IssaUnited States
03/01/2009
Friday Jan 9th
What can police do to Million of people, Nothing. Let us wake the Ummah and make coming Friday, the day of millions resurrection. Wallahi, there is nothing more these traitors love more than power and if they feel it is getting out of their hand, they will do everything my force. Wake up Muslims. Let us make next Friday “Jan 9th, 2009 the day of the Millions.
mahmoodPakistan
03/01/2009
strategy
That Meshall is brave enough to sacrifice your lives to make him a hero. Wake up Palestinians. Your leaders are morons who never act in your best interests.
SusanAfghanistan
03/01/2009
Dont kill children and innocent people
don't kill innocent children and people. this is massacre, not war. God blesses people on Gaza.
AlanUnited States
03/01/2009
How many times
How many times is Hamas going to talk big while thier people die? Why all the posturing instead of working toward peace? As long as Hamas treats fellow humans as inhuman this crisis will exist.
hanif manjooSouth Africa
03/01/2009
feedbacks on articles/reports
I must commend you on introducing the feedback on events as they happen it complements the 'your views' even more.
S.PasillasUnited States
03/01/2009
Hamas Stance
It is amazing how twisted the leaders of Hamas are in as much as they broke the peace treaty in November by rocket attacks into Israel . They instigated a fight. Hamas is cowardly, once again using the innocent Palestinian people as human shields. They started the fight ,now they need to stop the rocket attacks and resume peace.
PixmaSaavyAustralia
03/01/2009
Pending invasion of Gaza
History will judge Israel and it's American Zionists for the decades of humiliation and oppression of the Palestinian people. Your rhetoric and spin is offensive. The world is watching with growing resentment . How easy is it, to see through the diet of lies that are fed us by the majority of western media and their governments. Shame on you (including the Arab League)for your inaction and silence on this continued humanitarian crisis.
Michelle EarnhartUnited States
03/01/2009
Maybe a bit more compassion for your people is in order!
It is always interesting to see U.S., Israel, and Hamas leaders so willing to sacrifice their people for their ego mania! None of these leaders have any concern for their people. They are all ideologists with a personal agenda while they sit safe and hidden. It is so disgusting. Just wonder when the people are going to get tired of this nonsense. Otherwise, you deserve the government you get, I guess. So sad.
WaheedUnited States
03/01/2009
May God Bless The Gazans
This is truely an Israeli massacre. Where are the democratic and freedom principles of the United States. I am truely ashamed our President and of our current government. I am afraid that because of Israel, the United States will become the primary target of all terrorists. As for the Israeli army entering Gaza, good luck. The army will meet Gazans with their backs to walls. The Israeli army will face countless numbers of suicide bombers that will fortunately annihilate the great Israeli army.
rayMalta
03/01/2009
gaza masacre
yes, the problem in palestine is hamas. but who created hamas in the first place? why do they exist? why did the palestenians vote for them to govern? hamas exist because the palestenians are fed up with israel pulling everyone's legs in peace talks that have been draging on and on for years. the frustrated and humiliated palestenians have had enough of abu abbas's ways of deplomacy that led to no where. thats why hamas are in power. the jews have no one to blame but themselves.
zubairPakistan
03/01/2009
Just give Jerusalem to Muslims
Israel can never have peace unless it gives the city of Jerusalem to Muslims,no matter how much it pounds Gaza or Lebanon. Also Hamas should consider acquiring anti air craft weapons. God bless people of Gaza