Fierce fighting in Gaza
2009-01-04 09:29
Gaza - Israeli tanks and infantry battled
Hamas fighters in the Gaza Strip on Sunday in a ground offensive
launched after eight days of deadly air strikes failed to halt
the Islamist group's rocket attacks on Israel.
A column of Israeli tanks, backed by aircraft, pushed deep
into the territory, and Israel's navy prevented travel along
Gaza's coastal road, witnesses said, effectively cutting the
enclave in half.
In initial fighting, Israeli ground forces killed eight
Gazans, five of them gunmen, bringing the Palestinian death toll
since the start of an air campaign on December 27 to more than 450,
Palestinian medical officials said.
Casualties
Israel said 30 of its soldiers were wounded, two seriously,
since the start of the ground assault and that Israeli aircraft
struck more than 45 targets, including arms smuggling tunnels,
weapons depots and mortar squads.
"During exchanges of fire overnight, dozens of armed Hamas
operatives were hit," an Israeli military statement said.
At the United Nations, the US thwarted an effort
by Libya to persuade the Security Council to call for an
immediate ceasefire, diplomats said.
Israel said it called up tens of thousands of reservists and
the military's chief spokesperson estimated the operation in the
Hamas-run territory could take "many long days".
Heavy casualties are likely to increase international
pressure on Israel to halt its biggest operation in the Gaza
Strip in four decades, fighting that holds significant political
risks for Israeli leaders ahead of a February 10 national election.
The plight of the 1.5 million Palestinians crammed into the
Gaza Strip was growing more desperate.
People have taken shelter
in their homes for days and humanitarian agencies warned that
water, food and medical supplies were running short.
Wide scale operation
The Israeli military said "large infantry, tank,
engineering, artillery and intelligence forces" were operating
throughout the Gaza Strip, backed by attacks by aircraft and
warships off the Mediterranean coast.
A spokesperson for Hamas's armed wing, the Izz el-Deen
al-Qassam Brigades, said Israeli troops faced certain death or
capture.
"The Zionist enemy must know his battle in Gaza is a
losing one," said Abu Ubaida.
Israeli troops face Hamas fighters whom the United States
and Israel say have received arms and training from Iran.
Hamas
is believed to have about 25 000 fighters and has placed
landmines and other traps in anticipation of an invasion.