I think they planned in advance to do it between christmas & inauguration
11:06 PM As rockets fell on Israel and Gilad Shalit remains in captivity, Olmert declared that the Gaza operation achieved its goal and Hamas knows how strong we are. (You can’t make this stuff up!)
11:04 PM Israel will stop defending itself starting at 2:00AM
10:43 PM Power out in parts of Ashdod from rocket strike.
10:40 PM Rockets slamming into Southern Israel. Ashdod and Ashkelon hit. Israel talking about a Unilateral Cease Fire!