This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/middle_east/7804218.stm
The article has changed 15 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Israel vows lasting Gaza campaign | Israel vows lasting Gaza campaign |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Israel says it is ready for "long weeks of action" as it continues its fiercest air assault on Gaza for decades to stamp out militant rocket attacks. | Israel says it is ready for "long weeks of action" as it continues its fiercest air assault on Gaza for decades to stamp out militant rocket attacks. |
| Palestinian officials say 10 people died in the latest attacks, taking the death toll to over 360 since Saturday. Four Israelis have died in rocket fire. | Palestinian officials say 10 people died in the latest attacks, taking the death toll to over 360 since Saturday. Four Israelis have died in rocket fire. |
| Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said this was the "first of several stages" of military action. | Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said this was the "first of several stages" of military action. |
| A UN human rights monitor accused Israel of "shocking atrocities". | A UN human rights monitor accused Israel of "shocking atrocities". |
| Richard Falk - the special rapporteur for human rights in the Palestinian territories - said the international community must put more pressure on Israel to end its attacks on Gaza. | Richard Falk - the special rapporteur for human rights in the Palestinian territories - said the international community must put more pressure on Israel to end its attacks on Gaza. |
| "Israel is committing a shocking series of atrocities by using modern weaponry against a defenceless population - attacking a population that has been enduring a severe blockade for many months," Mr Falk said in a BBC interview. | "Israel is committing a shocking series of atrocities by using modern weaponry against a defenceless population - attacking a population that has been enduring a severe blockade for many months," Mr Falk said in a BBC interview. |
| The UN says at least 62 of the Palestinians killed so far have been women and children, and it is calling for an investigation into the attacks, which are causing heavy civilian casualties. | The UN says at least 62 of the Palestinians killed so far have been women and children, and it is calling for an investigation into the attacks, which are causing heavy civilian casualties. |
| One air strike on Tuesday morning killed two sisters, the eldest aged 11, riding in a donkey cart in Beit Hanoun, northern Gaza, Palestinian medical sources said. | One air strike on Tuesday morning killed two sisters, the eldest aged 11, riding in a donkey cart in Beit Hanoun, northern Gaza, Palestinian medical sources said. |
| Coastal clash | Coastal clash |
| Israeli jets attacked targets linked to the militant Hamas movement, which controls the Gaza Strip, for a fourth day, hitting a number of government buildings and security installations. See detailed map of attacks | Israeli jets attacked targets linked to the militant Hamas movement, which controls the Gaza Strip, for a fourth day, hitting a number of government buildings and security installations. See detailed map of attacks |
| Forty people were said to have been wounded in Tuesday's raids. | Forty people were said to have been wounded in Tuesday's raids. |
| The Israeli military "has made preparations for long weeks of action", deputy defence minister Matan Vilnai said in an interview. | The Israeli military "has made preparations for long weeks of action", deputy defence minister Matan Vilnai said in an interview. |
| Mr Olmert's statement that the bombardment was "the first of several stages approved by the security cabinet" was quoted from a briefing he gave to President Shimon Peres on Tuesday. | Mr Olmert's statement that the bombardment was "the first of several stages approved by the security cabinet" was quoted from a briefing he gave to President Shimon Peres on Tuesday. |
| Separately, Israeli naval vessels confronted pro-Palestinian activists seeking to break the Gaza blockade by boat about 45 miles (70km) off the Israeli coast in international waters. | Separately, Israeli naval vessels confronted pro-Palestinian activists seeking to break the Gaza blockade by boat about 45 miles (70km) off the Israeli coast in international waters. |
| The damaged boat arrives at a Lebanese port | |
| The activists said one vessel had rammed them without warning during the confrontation. Their boat put into port in Lebanon with heavy damage on one side. | |
| Israel has massed forces along the boundary with Gaza and political leaders have not ruled out ground operations. | Israel has massed forces along the boundary with Gaza and political leaders have not ruled out ground operations. |
| The Egyptian-Gaza border was due to be opened to permit more trucks carrying aid to enter the territory, and for wounded Palestinians to be transported to Egyptian hospitals. | The Egyptian-Gaza border was due to be opened to permit more trucks carrying aid to enter the territory, and for wounded Palestinians to be transported to Egyptian hospitals. |
| Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, under popular pressure to open the crossing fully, said that could not happen while Hamas, rather than the Palestinian Authority, led by its rival Fatah, controlled the border. | |
| Demonstrators in Yemen, angered by Egypt's co-operation with the blockade on Gaza, briefly stormed the country's consulate in Aden, where they burned an Egyptian flag and hoisted a Palestinian one. | |
| There have been angry protests against the Israeli offensive in many cities across the Arab world and in several European capitals. | |
| European Union foreign ministers are scheduled to meet in Paris later (1730 GMT) to discuss the escalating crisis. | European Union foreign ministers are scheduled to meet in Paris later (1730 GMT) to discuss the escalating crisis. |
| The European Commission has issued a statement urging both sides to halt the conflict so supplies can be delivered to Gaza's 1.5m population, and expressing "deep concern" about the situation. | |
| Ceasefire expiry | |
| Hamas has pressed on with rocket and mortar assaults, killing three Israeli civilians and a soldier in areas that have not previously suffered such fatalities. | Hamas has pressed on with rocket and mortar assaults, killing three Israeli civilians and a soldier in areas that have not previously suffered such fatalities. |
| US tacitly backs Israeli offensiveAid worker diary: Gaza raids Rocket attacks plague Israeli towns | US tacitly backs Israeli offensiveAid worker diary: Gaza raids Rocket attacks plague Israeli towns |
| Israeli military officials said rocket attacks landing more than 25 miles (40km) from Gaza put nearly 10% of Israel's population of seven million within range. | Israeli military officials said rocket attacks landing more than 25 miles (40km) from Gaza put nearly 10% of Israel's population of seven million within range. |
| Israeli political leaders have been under pressure to act against rocket fire with a general election looming in early February. | Israeli political leaders have been under pressure to act against rocket fire with a general election looming in early February. |
| Opposition leader Binyamin Netanyahu has backed the campaign, telling the BBC that "Israel is using a fraction of its power to try to target surgically the terrorists". | |
| The strikes began less than a week after the expiry of a six-month-long ceasefire deal with Hamas, which has controlled Gaza since 2007. | |
| Correspondents say short of a full-scale invasion of Gaza, it is unlikely Israel will be able to prevent rocket fire permanently. | |
| Israel dismantled its strategic settlements and military bases in Gaza in 2005 but has kept tight control over access in and out of the narrow coastal strip and its airspace. | Israel dismantled its strategic settlements and military bases in Gaza in 2005 but has kept tight control over access in and out of the narrow coastal strip and its airspace. |
| GAZA VIOLENCE 27-30 DECEMBER 1. Ashdod: First attack so far north, Sunday. Woman killed in second rocket attack, Tuesday 2. Ashkelon: One man killed, several injured in rocket attack, Monday3. Sderot: rocket attacks4. Nevitot: One man killed, several injured in rocket attack, Saturday5. Civilian family reported killed in attack on Yabna refugee camp, Sunday 6. Israeli warplanes strike tunnels under Gaza/Egypt border, Sunday7. Three brothers reported killed in attack on Rafah, Sunday8. Khan Younis: Four members of Islamic Jihad and a child reported killed, Sunday. Security officer killed in air strike on Hamas police station, Tuesday 9. Deir al-Balah: Palestinians injured, houses and buildings destroyed, Sunday 10. Tel al-Hawa - Interior ministry and Islamic University badly damaged, Monday. At least three buildings in ministry compound hit, Tuesday11. Gaza City port: naval vessels targeted, Sunday 12. Shati refugee camp: Home of Hamas leader Ismail Haniya targeted, Monday 13. Intelligence building attacked, Sunday14. Jebaliya refugee camp: several people killed in attack on mosque, Sunday 15. Beit Hanoun - two girls killed in air strike, Tuesday16. Israeli soldier killed at unspecified military base near Nahal Oz border crossing - five other soldiers wounded in same rocket attack, Monday night. | |
| Return to top | Return to top |