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| Israel set for prolonged Gaza op | Israel set for prolonged Gaza op |
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| Israel says it will widen its attacks on Hamas if necessary to stop the Palestinian militant group firing rockets from the Gaza Strip. | Israel says it will widen its attacks on Hamas if necessary to stop the Palestinian militant group firing rockets from the Gaza Strip. |
| Israeli F-16 bombers hit targets across the Gaza Strip on Saturday, killing at least 225 people, local medics say. | Israeli F-16 bombers hit targets across the Gaza Strip on Saturday, killing at least 225 people, local medics say. |
| "If what we're doing in the air will not suffice we'll continue on the ground," Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak told BBC News. | "If what we're doing in the air will not suffice we'll continue on the ground," Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak told BBC News. |
| Israel's air raids were the heaviest on the Gaza Strip for decades. | Israel's air raids were the heaviest on the Gaza Strip for decades. |
| Most of those killed were policemen in the Hamas militant movement, which controls Gaza, but women and children also died, Gaza officials said. | Most of those killed were policemen in the Hamas militant movement, which controls Gaza, but women and children also died, Gaza officials said. |
| About 700 others were wounded, as missiles struck security compounds and militant bases, the officials added. Israel's mixed motives for strikesGaza: World reaction in quotesGaza raids: Your reaction | About 700 others were wounded, as missiles struck security compounds and militant bases, the officials added. Israel's mixed motives for strikesGaza: World reaction in quotesGaza raids: Your reaction |
| Israel said it was responding to an escalation in rocket attacks from Gaza and would bomb "as long as necessary". Air raids have continued into the night, while Israeli tanks are deployed just outside Gaza. | |
| Israeli PM Ehud Olmert said the operation "may take some time" - but he pledged to avoid a humanitarian crisis. | Israeli PM Ehud Olmert said the operation "may take some time" - but he pledged to avoid a humanitarian crisis. |
| "It's not going to last a few days,'' he said in a televised statement, flanked by Defence Minister Barak and Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni. | "It's not going to last a few days,'' he said in a televised statement, flanked by Defence Minister Barak and Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni. |
| Staff at the main hospital in Gaza said operating rooms were overflowing, it was running out of medicine, and there was not enough surgeons to cope. | Staff at the main hospital in Gaza said operating rooms were overflowing, it was running out of medicine, and there was not enough surgeons to cope. |
| 'Time for fighting' | 'Time for fighting' |
| The raids came days after a truce with Hamas expired. | The raids came days after a truce with Hamas expired. |
| Mr Barak said "there is a time for calm and a time for fighting, and now the time has come to fight". He told the BBC it was "not realistic" to call off the operation at this stage. Palestine has never witnessed an uglier massacre Ismail HaniyehHamas leader in Gaza In pictures: Gaza attack aftermathUK concern over Gaza raidMalnutrition and shortages in GazaIsrael warns Hamas over rockets | Mr Barak said "there is a time for calm and a time for fighting, and now the time has come to fight". He told the BBC it was "not realistic" to call off the operation at this stage. Palestine has never witnessed an uglier massacre Ismail HaniyehHamas leader in Gaza In pictures: Gaza attack aftermathUK concern over Gaza raidMalnutrition and shortages in GazaIsrael warns Hamas over rockets |
| The exiled leader of Hamas, Khaled Meshaal, called for a new intifada, or uprising, against Israel, in response to the attacks. | The exiled leader of Hamas, Khaled Meshaal, called for a new intifada, or uprising, against Israel, in response to the attacks. |
| The movement's Gaza leader, Ismail Haniyeh, said there would be no white flags and no surrender. "Palestine has never witnessed an uglier massacre," he said. | The movement's Gaza leader, Ismail Haniyeh, said there would be no white flags and no surrender. "Palestine has never witnessed an uglier massacre," he said. |
| Israel hit targets across Gaza, striking in the territory's main population centres, including Gaza City in the north and the southern towns of Khan Younis and Rafah. | Israel hit targets across Gaza, striking in the territory's main population centres, including Gaza City in the north and the southern towns of Khan Younis and Rafah. |
| Mr Olmert said "we tried to avoid, and I think quite successfully, to hit any uninvolved people - we attacked only targets that are part of the Hamas organisations". | Mr Olmert said "we tried to avoid, and I think quite successfully, to hit any uninvolved people - we attacked only targets that are part of the Hamas organisations". |
| Hamas said all of its security compounds in Gaza were destroyed by the air strikes, which Israel said hit some 40 targets. | Hamas said all of its security compounds in Gaza were destroyed by the air strikes, which Israel said hit some 40 targets. |
| Hamas vowed to carry out revenge attacks on Israel and fired Qassam rockets into Israeli territory as an immediate reply. | Hamas vowed to carry out revenge attacks on Israel and fired Qassam rockets into Israeli territory as an immediate reply. |
| One Israeli was killed by a rocket strike on the town of Netivot, 20 kilometres (12 miles) east of Gaza, doctors said. | One Israeli was killed by a rocket strike on the town of Netivot, 20 kilometres (12 miles) east of Gaza, doctors said. |
| Ceasefire urged | Ceasefire urged |
| The air strikes come amid rumours that an Israeli ground operation is imminent. | The air strikes come amid rumours that an Israeli ground operation is imminent. |
| Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert: 'We are not fighting against the people of Gaza' | Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert: 'We are not fighting against the people of Gaza' |
| Israeli television said on Saturday evening that Israeli troops were massing on the Gaza border "in preparation for a supplementary ground offensive". The report has not been confirmed by independent sources. | Israeli television said on Saturday evening that Israeli troops were massing on the Gaza border "in preparation for a supplementary ground offensive". The report has not been confirmed by independent sources. |
| US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice accused Hamas of having triggered the new bout of violence. | US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice accused Hamas of having triggered the new bout of violence. |
| "The United States is deeply concerned about the escalating violence in Gaza," she said in a statement. | "The United States is deeply concerned about the escalating violence in Gaza," she said in a statement. |
| "We strongly condemn the repeated rocket and mortar attacks against Israel and hold Hamas responsible for breaking the ceasefire and for the renewal of violence there. The ceasefire must be restored immediately and fully respected." | "We strongly condemn the repeated rocket and mortar attacks against Israel and hold Hamas responsible for breaking the ceasefire and for the renewal of violence there. The ceasefire must be restored immediately and fully respected." |
| UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon also urged an immediate halt to the violence, condemning what he called Israel's "excessive use of force leading to the killing and injuring of civilians" and "the ongoing rocket attacks by Palestinian militants". | UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon also urged an immediate halt to the violence, condemning what he called Israel's "excessive use of force leading to the killing and injuring of civilians" and "the ongoing rocket attacks by Palestinian militants". |
| Calls for a ceasefire also came from Middle East envoy Tony Blair and the French EU presidency. | Calls for a ceasefire also came from Middle East envoy Tony Blair and the French EU presidency. |
| Hamas bases destroyed | Hamas bases destroyed |
| Palestinian militants frequently fire rockets against Israeli towns from inside the Gaza Strip; large numbers of rocket and mortar shells have been fired at Israel in recent days. | Palestinian militants frequently fire rockets against Israeli towns from inside the Gaza Strip; large numbers of rocket and mortar shells have been fired at Israel in recent days. |
| A resident describes the attacks in Gaza | A resident describes the attacks in Gaza |
| The BBC's Katya Adler in Jerusalem says the timing of Israel's operation is significant, as Israeli politicians are keen to score points ahead of a general election in February. | The BBC's Katya Adler in Jerusalem says the timing of Israel's operation is significant, as Israeli politicians are keen to score points ahead of a general election in February. |
| A Hamas police spokesman, Islam Shahwan, said one of the Israeli raids targeted a police compound in Gaza City where a graduation ceremony for new personnel was taking place. | A Hamas police spokesman, Islam Shahwan, said one of the Israeli raids targeted a police compound in Gaza City where a graduation ceremony for new personnel was taking place. |
| At least a dozen bodies of men in black uniforms were photographed at the Hamas police headquarters in Gaza City. | At least a dozen bodies of men in black uniforms were photographed at the Hamas police headquarters in Gaza City. |
| Most of the dead and injured were said to be in Gaza City. The head of Gaza's police forces, Tawfik Jaber, was among those killed. | Most of the dead and injured were said to be in Gaza City. The head of Gaza's police forces, Tawfik Jaber, was among those killed. |
| Mr Olmert appealed to Palestinians in Gaza, saying "You - the citizens of Gaza - are not our enemies. Hamas, Jihad and the other terrorist organisations are your enemies, as they are our enemies. | Mr Olmert appealed to Palestinians in Gaza, saying "You - the citizens of Gaza - are not our enemies. Hamas, Jihad and the other terrorist organisations are your enemies, as they are our enemies. |
| "They have brought disaster on you and they try to bring disaster to the people of Israel. And it is our common goal to make every possible effort to stop them." | "They have brought disaster on you and they try to bring disaster to the people of Israel. And it is our common goal to make every possible effort to stop them." |
| It is the worst attack in Gaza since 1967 in terms of the number of Palestinian casualties, a senior analyst told the BBC in Jerusalem. | It is the worst attack in Gaza since 1967 in terms of the number of Palestinian casualties, a senior analyst told the BBC in Jerusalem. |
| Although a six-month truce between Hamas and Israel was agreed earlier this year, it was regularly under strain and was allowed to lapse when it expired this month. | Although a six-month truce between Hamas and Israel was agreed earlier this year, it was regularly under strain and was allowed to lapse when it expired this month. |
| Mosques issued urgent appeals for people to donate blood on Saturday and Hamas sources told the BBC's Rushdi Abou Alouf in Gaza that hospitals were soon full. | Mosques issued urgent appeals for people to donate blood on Saturday and Hamas sources told the BBC's Rushdi Abou Alouf in Gaza that hospitals were soon full. |
| In the West Bank, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas - whose Fatah faction was ousted from Gaza by Hamas in 2007 - condemned the attacks and called for restraint. | In the West Bank, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas - whose Fatah faction was ousted from Gaza by Hamas in 2007 - condemned the attacks and called for restraint. |
| Egypt opened its border crossing to the Gaza Strip at Rafah to absorb and treat some of those injured in the south of the territory. | Egypt opened its border crossing to the Gaza Strip at Rafah to absorb and treat some of those injured in the south of the territory. |
| Palestinians staged demonstrations in the West Bank cities of Ramallah and Hebron, and there were some scuffles with Israeli troops there. | Palestinians staged demonstrations in the West Bank cities of Ramallah and Hebron, and there were some scuffles with Israeli troops there. |
| Hamas blamed Israel for the end of the ceasefire, saying it had not respected its terms, including the lifting of the blockade under which little more than humanitarian aid has been allowed into Gaza. | Hamas blamed Israel for the end of the ceasefire, saying it had not respected its terms, including the lifting of the blockade under which little more than humanitarian aid has been allowed into Gaza. |
| Israel said it initially began easing the blockade, but this was halted when Hamas failed to fulfil what Israel says were agreed conditions, including ending all rocket fire and halting weapons smuggling. | Israel said it initially began easing the blockade, but this was halted when Hamas failed to fulfil what Israel says were agreed conditions, including ending all rocket fire and halting weapons smuggling. |