ISRAELI DEFENSE FORCES BEGIN ATTACK IN CENTRAL GAZA
Randy L. Harrington
July 11, 2006
ISRAEL—Israeli officials confirmed Tuesday night that infantry, and armored units have entered central Gaza and are beginning military operations.
Soldiers are going to conduct military operations in the towns of Khan Younis and Deir el-Balah where they had not entered since the beginning of the offensive that started after Palestinian Hamas terrorists kidnapped an Israeli soldier on June 25, and subsequent rocket attacks on Israel from Gaza.
Columns of armored attack vehicles were poised and waiting to enter Gaza earlier Tuesday. Israeli officials said that this is just an extension of their offensive operation that began two weeks ago.
Israeli sources said that the operation would include naval, infantry, and air forces in a joint operation designed to destroy the infrastructure that supports the launching of Kassam rockets into Israeli territory.
At the beginning of the two week old offensive Israeli forces took up positions in southern Gaza to prevent Palestinian Hamas terrorists from transferring Shalit who intelligence sources indicated was being held in southern Gaza. Before dawn Tuesday Israeli aircraft bombed a bridge in southern Gaza to prevent Palestinian Hamas terrorists from moving the kidnapped Israeli soldier out of the south.
Israeli air force also fired on a car in northern Gaza that contained terrorists, and then flew an air strike against a Kassam rocket launch site in northern Gaza that wounded two Palestinians.
Israeli forces shut the Karni crossing into the Gaza Strip after troops stationed there felt the ground move underneath, that were believed to be from digging of a tunnel underneath by Palestinian terrorists.
Tanks and bulldozers operating in Karni inside Gaza were looking for the tunnel. Israelis hope that military operations would be completed by the end of the week, and that the Karni crossing would be reopened to allow the transfer of goods to the Palestinians. On Tuesday Israel opened the Erez crossing into Gaza that allowed the transfer of goods to the Palestinians.
Major General Yosef Misglav in an interview said “The situation of Gaza residents is difficult. The situation is however far from turning into a humanitarian crisis.”
On Saturday the United Nations claimed that Gaza was on the verge of a humanitarian crisis and opened a shelter in a school in southern Gaza for 250 people that left their homes because of Israeli military operations. By Monday the number being housed, and fed in two schools had grown to 1100.
Israel claimed that the areas of the Karni crossing is an area that presents a threat to military operations, but that the Israelis would remain committed to provide humanitarian efforts to the non-terrorist residents of the area.
Because Israel believes that Palestinian Hamas terrorists would smuggle Corporal Shalit out of Gaza and into Egypt they have refused to open the main border into Gaza, in Rafah.
There has been no report on the well being of Corporal Shalit, the kidnapped Israeli Soldier. Israel has refused to negotiate with the Palestinian Authority until the soldier is released, and the Palestinians can assure that no more rockets would be launched from the territory into Israel. The Palestinians Hamas controlled terrorist government is demanding that Palestinian prisoners being held by Israel be released before they would release the kidnapped Israeli soldiers. Israel has insisted that they will not negotiate with terrorists.
SOURCES/CONTRIBUTORS: AP WIRE; JPOST; WASHINGTON POST; NEW YOUK TIMES
Copyright 2006 Randy L. Harrington. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Soldiers are going to conduct military operations in the towns of Khan Younis and Deir el-Balah where they had not entered since the beginning of the offensive that started after Palestinian Hamas terrorists kidnapped an Israeli soldier on June 25, and subsequent rocket attacks on Israel from Gaza.
Columns of armored attack vehicles were poised and waiting to enter Gaza earlier Tuesday. Israeli officials said that this is just an extension of their offensive operation that began two weeks ago.
Israeli sources said that the operation would include naval, infantry, and air forces in a joint operation designed to destroy the infrastructure that supports the launching of Kassam rockets into Israeli territory.
At the beginning of the two week old offensive Israeli forces took up positions in southern Gaza to prevent Palestinian Hamas terrorists from transferring Shalit who intelligence sources indicated was being held in southern Gaza. Before dawn Tuesday Israeli aircraft bombed a bridge in southern Gaza to prevent Palestinian Hamas terrorists from moving the kidnapped Israeli soldier out of the south.
Israeli air force also fired on a car in northern Gaza that contained terrorists, and then flew an air strike against a Kassam rocket launch site in northern Gaza that wounded two Palestinians.
Israeli forces shut the Karni crossing into the Gaza Strip after troops stationed there felt the ground move underneath, that were believed to be from digging of a tunnel underneath by Palestinian terrorists.
Tanks and bulldozers operating in Karni inside Gaza were looking for the tunnel. Israelis hope that military operations would be completed by the end of the week, and that the Karni crossing would be reopened to allow the transfer of goods to the Palestinians. On Tuesday Israel opened the Erez crossing into Gaza that allowed the transfer of goods to the Palestinians.
Major General Yosef Misglav in an interview said “The situation of Gaza residents is difficult. The situation is however far from turning into a humanitarian crisis.”
On Saturday the United Nations claimed that Gaza was on the verge of a humanitarian crisis and opened a shelter in a school in southern Gaza for 250 people that left their homes because of Israeli military operations. By Monday the number being housed, and fed in two schools had grown to 1100.
Israel claimed that the areas of the Karni crossing is an area that presents a threat to military operations, but that the Israelis would remain committed to provide humanitarian efforts to the non-terrorist residents of the area.
Because Israel believes that Palestinian Hamas terrorists would smuggle Corporal Shalit out of Gaza and into Egypt they have refused to open the main border into Gaza, in Rafah.
There has been no report on the well being of Corporal Shalit, the kidnapped Israeli Soldier. Israel has refused to negotiate with the Palestinian Authority until the soldier is released, and the Palestinians can assure that no more rockets would be launched from the territory into Israel. The Palestinians Hamas controlled terrorist government is demanding that Palestinian prisoners being held by Israel be released before they would release the kidnapped Israeli soldiers. Israel has insisted that they will not negotiate with terrorists.
SOURCES/CONTRIBUTORS: AP WIRE; JPOST; WASHINGTON POST; NEW YOUK TIMES
Copyright 2006 Randy L. Harrington. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
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