Posted on 12/27/2008 10:43:16 AM PST by Ernest_at_the_Beach
GAZA (Reuters) - Israeli warplanes and helicopters pounded the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip on Saturday, killing at least 205 people in the bloodiest one-day death toll in 60 years of conflict with the Palestinians.
Militants in the Gaza Strip, who have launched dozens of rocket attacks against Israel since a truce expired just over a week ago, fired more salvoes that killed one Israeli man and wounded several others.
Both sides said they were ready to stage wider assaults, threatening to plunge the region into a crisis that could leave stalled talks over Palestinian statehood in tatters.
Black smoke billowed over Gaza City, where the dead and wounded lay scattered on the ground after Israel bombed more than 40 security compounds, including two where Hamas was hosting graduation ceremonies for new recruits.
At the main Gaza City graduation ceremony, uniformed bodies lay in a pile and the wounded writhed in pain. Some rescue workers beat their heads and shouted "God is greatest." One badly wounded man quietly recited verses from the Koran.
More than 700 Palestinians were wounded in all, medics said.
Israel said the operation, dubbed "Solid Lead," targeted "terrorist infrastructure" following days of rocket attacks on southern Israel that caused damage but few injuries. An army spokeswoman said Hamas leaders could be targeted.
"There is a time for calm and a time for fighting, and now the time has come to fight," Defense Minister Ehud Barak said.
The rocket attacks increased pressure on Israeli political leaders to act as a February 10 election approaches.
The army did not set a timeframe but the mayor of Ashkelon, an Israeli city in range of Hamas's rockets, said military planners saw the operation lasting "more than a week."
(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...
Thing is, these Hamas folks can claim victory whatever you do. If you bomb and miss, they go: “Ha ha, you missed! I win!” But if you kill them, they’re pretty cool with the whole martyrdom thing.
So these guys can’t lose.
Gaza is different....... fish in a barrel.
******************************EXCERPT**************************
Hamas made it clear last week that they wanted war. They announced the end of the so-called truce, although as the 16th paragraph in this report finally makes clear, Hamas and other affiliated groups had never stopped attacking Israel. They want to provoke a wider war and hope to get Egypt involved. The Egyptians opened the border to provide emergency medical care to the wounded and condemned the attack, but have not broken diplomatic relations with Israel yet over the attack.
Meanwhile whn others to the same the world takes NO NOTE of it:
Sri Lanka says jets bomb rebel leader’s known hideouts
Published: 12.27.08, 11:15 / Israel News
Sri Lankan jets bombed hideouts of the leader of the Tamil Tiger rebels on Saturday as heavy fighting continued around the self-proclaimed rebel capital.....
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3644902,00.html
I hope they were all dancing around in their uniforms, wearing ski masks, when the bombs hit!
Little did the Hamas chumps know that a JDAM had their name on it.
I’m waiting for them to not be able to count the number of dead.
killing at least 205 people in the bloodiest one-day death toll in 60 years of conflictIf the missiles continue, Israel should continue to bomb, or better yet, move in on the ground in force, surround and forcibly evacuate one of the squatter camps, and raze it to the ground. Lather, rinse, repeat. Let the Arabs and the world know that, each time there's a missile attack, another camp gets demolished. Thanks Ernest.
We don't know about that yet. I do know that contracts have been signed for varius big missiles in the last 2 months. You don't want those on your coffee table. They weigh a LOT. And your downstairs neighbors might not like a missile crashing down through their places. And don't touch it.
Seems to require the same Logic that we see when the Afro’s riot and burn down their own homes...particularly like in Detroit...but I am not sure when they did that recently...maybe their Logic is changing....no such hope for the Gaza area ...
I think they are provoking Israel all over the place hoping that they get one response that will unify the Middle East to strike Israel all at once together at the same time.
I think that is what they are trying to do.
Why was anyone shocked when Israel fired back?
No. He still hasn't explained his lack of a BC.
while the rest of us Jews vow to protect Israel til the day we die.
****
I STAND with you!!
It is about time the Israeli started to pound these animals a bit. These people are idiots for the most part. No loss for sure.
Unlike the Arab occupiers, Israel takes care to target their strikes as best they can.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.