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Saturday, January 03, 2009
22:55 Mecca time, 19:55 GMT
News Middle East
Israel begins Gaza ground offensive
The Israeli army has confirmed its troops have entered the Gaza Strip as it escalates its offensive on the eighth day of operations.
Speaking to Al Jazeera, a spokesman for the Israeli foreign ministry said: "They [Israeli ground forces] will be completing the mission of the air force, going for Hamas headquarters and weapons caches and giving a blow to their capability to launch attacks into Israel."
Alan Fisher, Al Jazeera's correspondent on the Israeli-Gaza border, said that the Israeli army had confirmed it had entered Gaza and that he had witnessed the movement of tanks and armoured vehicles in the area.
Hamas has vowed to defeat the Israeli army following the invasion.
Reservists mobilised
The Israeli cabinet said it had called up about 9,000 reservists as part of its preparations.
IN DEPTH
Latest news and analysis from Gaza and Israel
Send us your views and videos
Watch our coverage of the war on Gaza
A column of tanks entered the besieged Gaza Strip though the Beit Hanoun crossing shortly after nightfall on Saturday.
Ayman Mohyeldin, Al Jazeera's correspondent in Gaza, said: "Residents in the Beit Hanoun area say they have seen the movement of tanks into the territory.
"There is absolute fear and terror, it is pitch black, power lines have been cut throughout the strip, more than 250,000 people in northern Gaza are without electricity.
"The biggest concern is a ground invasion could result in urban warfare. Rockets are being fired from deeper and deeper within Gaza and if Israel's intention is to prevent such attacks how far into Gaza, an area densely populated with civilians, will they need to go?"
The gound assault came as the death toll of Palestinians climbed past 450 on Saturday as a strike on a northern Gaza town killed at least 11 people, including one child, who were praying in a mosque.
'Several days'
Israeli artillery had started firing shells into the Gaza Strip for the first time on Saturday, ahead of the ground offensive.
Ofir Gendelman, an Israeli foreign ministry spokesman, said: "All we asking for is to create a normal life for people of Israel. We'll keep on targeting Hamas objectives until the situation on the ground there is transformed.
"They [Israeli ground forces] will be completing the mission of the air force, going for Hamas headquarters and weapons caches and giving a blow to their capability to launch attacks into Israel.
"It will take quite a number of days to get the job done."
Marwan Bishara, Al Jazeera's senior political analyst, said: "Israel can claim in various stages that it has won this or that war against Arabs but it is obvious since the invasion of Lebanon in 1982 that there is no military solution to Israel's secueity.
"It cannot bomb its way into peaceful co-existence. Israel is trying to do all it can to destroy Hamas but with more than 400 dead, there will be more than 400 more new recruits in Gaza.
"It has taken this path and will probably pay the price in the long term, short term it's the Palestinians who pay the price."
Hamas resistance
Meshaal says Hamas is prepared to handle an Israeli ground offensive [AFP]
"If you commit the stupidity of launching a ground offensive, then a black destiny awaits you," Khaled Meshaal, the political leader of Hamas, said on Friday.
"You will soon find out that Gaza is the wrath of God."
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."
Source: Al Jazeera and agencies
Saturday, January 03, 2009
22:55 Mecca time, 19:55 GMT
News Middle East
Israel begins Gaza ground offensive
The Israeli army has confirmed its troops have entered the Gaza Strip as it escalates its offensive on the eighth day of operations.
Speaking to Al Jazeera, a spokesman for the Israeli foreign ministry said: "They [Israeli ground forces] will be completing the mission of the air force, going for Hamas headquarters and weapons caches and giving a blow to their capability to launch attacks into Israel."
Alan Fisher, Al Jazeera's correspondent on the Israeli-Gaza border, said that the Israeli army had confirmed it had entered Gaza and that he had witnessed the movement of tanks and armoured vehicles in the area.
Hamas has vowed to defeat the Israeli army following the invasion.
Reservists mobilised
The Israeli cabinet said it had called up about 9,000 reservists as part of its preparations.
IN DEPTH
Latest news and analysis from Gaza and Israel
Send us your views and videos
Watch our coverage of the war on Gaza
A column of tanks entered the besieged Gaza Strip though the Beit Hanoun crossing shortly after nightfall on Saturday.
Ayman Mohyeldin, Al Jazeera's correspondent in Gaza, said: "Residents in the Beit Hanoun area say they have seen the movement of tanks into the territory.
"There is absolute fear and terror, it is pitch black, power lines have been cut throughout the strip, more than 250,000 people in northern Gaza are without electricity.
"The biggest concern is a ground invasion could result in urban warfare. Rockets are being fired from deeper and deeper within Gaza and if Israel's intention is to prevent such attacks how far into Gaza, an area densely populated with civilians, will they need to go?"
The gound assault came as the death toll of Palestinians climbed past 450 on Saturday as a strike on a northern Gaza town killed at least 11 people, including one child, who were praying in a mosque.
'Several days'
Israeli artillery had started firing shells into the Gaza Strip for the first time on Saturday, ahead of the ground offensive.
Ofir Gendelman, an Israeli foreign ministry spokesman, said: "All we asking for is to create a normal life for people of Israel. We'll keep on targeting Hamas objectives until the situation on the ground there is transformed.
"They [Israeli ground forces] will be completing the mission of the air force, going for Hamas headquarters and weapons caches and giving a blow to their capability to launch attacks into Israel.
"It will take quite a number of days to get the job done."
Marwan Bishara, Al Jazeera's senior political analyst, said: "Israel can claim in various stages that it has won this or that war against Arabs but it is obvious since the invasion of Lebanon in 1982 that there is no military solution to Israel's secueity.
"It cannot bomb its way into peaceful co-existence. Israel is trying to do all it can to destroy Hamas but with more than 400 dead, there will be more than 400 more new recruits in Gaza.
"It has taken this path and will probably pay the price in the long term, short term it's the Palestinians who pay the price."
Hamas resistance
Meshaal says Hamas is prepared to handle an Israeli ground offensive [AFP]
"If you commit the stupidity of launching a ground offensive, then a black destiny awaits you," Khaled Meshaal, the political leader of Hamas, said on Friday.
"You will soon find out that Gaza is the wrath of God."
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."
Source: Al Jazeera and agencies