Israel approves tougher war on Hamas

Yahoo! News Singapore / Agence France-Presse ^ | January 8, 2009

[2ndDivisionVet]

Israel on Wednesday approved an even tougher war on Hamas, warning residents to flee southern Gaza ahead of planned bombing of cross-border tunnels, as the Palestinian death toll passed 700.

After a brief lull to allow Gaza's beleaguered population to hunt for food and fuel, Defence Minister Ehud Barak was given the green light by the security cabinet to order a deeper offensive into Gaza towns as part of the campaign to halt Hamas cross-border rocket attacks.

But Barak has also decided to send an envoy to Cairo on Thursday to get details on an Egyptian ceasefire plan, which secured widespread international backing amid mounting concern about the scale of the civilian casualties.

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said he hoped the talks would "lead to conditions which will allow" the end of the Israeli offensive, which_began on December 27 and has so far killed 702 Palestinians and wounded 3,100, Gaza medics say.

Olmert chaired the security cabinet meeting in Jerusalem which "approved continuing the ground offensive, including a third stage that would broaden it by pushing_deeper into populated areas," a senior defence official said.

The final decision will be left with Barak, the official added.

Israeli shelling and air attacks around Gaza City were halted for three hours as a humanitarian gesture. Hamas also halted rocket attacks.

People and cars quickly filled the streets of Gaza City and long queues formed outside bakeries which soon ran out of bread. Aid groups sent dozens of truckloads of food and fuel across the border during the truce.

But the fighting quickly resumed, inflicting new deaths.

A man, his three sons and a nephew were killed in one attack at the Jabaliya refugee camp and an air strike killed two men in Khan Yunis on Wednesday night, medics said. Witnesses_said_the pair_belonged to Hamas.

[2ndDivisionVet]

Good idea to eliminate as much of Hamas as possible before President-elect Obama takes office.

[Sarah Barracuda]

GO ISRAEL, Kill off the scum bags!!

[mikethevike]

Good idea to eliminate as much of Hamas as possible before President-elect Obama takes office.

or before you attack Iran?

[GalaxieFiveHundred]

[wk4bush2004]

I hope they totally obliterate Hamas! They need to keep going and not stop until Hamas is totally destroyed. Who cares what the rest of the world thinks?

ABC News with Charlie Gibson is on in the living room right now and I told my brother to turn it off, but he won’t because he doesn’t “feel like changing the channel” (though he’s not liberal).

I don’t want to watch ABC ever again because of how liberally-biased they are and also because of the way they treated Sarah Palin a few months ago.

Anyway, ABC is being so biased; they are trying to portray Hamas as the “victims” and Israel as the “bad guy.” I couldn’t believe how slanted it was!

ISRAEL IS NOT THE ENEMY; HAMAS IS!!!!!!!!

[ajay_kumar]

Terrorists who fire rockets at civilian populations
deserve to die a violent death and meet the 72 virgins.

I am praying Israel will finish the job this time.

[cspivey7771]

I feel bad for the “innocent” people but someone has to get Hamas under control. if they won’t do it, then by all means.. Israel... go for it!!

[arthurus]

I think Israel is pulling its punches again. If Olmert does not go ahead and finish the job it will be all for nought, but that is how Olmert does things. And the Israelis keep him on. And on and on.

[Proud_USA_Republican]

Isreal is just taking care of as much business as it can to protect itself before President Hussien Obama throws them under the bus.

[Mmogamer]

Let them “hunt” for food? Didn’t they let in several hundred
trucks of aid in? Gee no bias there eh,.

[JudyinCanada]

I don’t consider anyone who voted for Hamas as innocent, except the children. Perhaps the first thing they should do, when all of this is over, is have another election.

[Uncle Miltie]

I feel bad that Hamas commits war crimes by using “innocent” people as Human Shields. Every dead civilian’s blood is on their hands.

[reefdiver]

“Hamas has purported that their forces haven't suffered heavy losses, at a time when the population is suffering. This is long-term damage to their image.”

These cowards run, almost like the drive bye’s, like the Dem's.

Run their mouth's and Run.

Hooray for me,& f u

[toomanylaws]

“Perhaps the first thing they should do, when all of this is over, is have another election.”

They would probably vote the same way. They will never learn.