19th Day Under Attack: 997 Killed in Gaza
and 4525 Injured

The Israeli military continued its offensive targeting the Palestinian costal region for the 18th day on Wednesday.

The Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza reported that at least five Palestinians were reported killed by Wednesday midday; this brings the dearth toll in Gaza since the start of the Israeli operation 19 days go to 997.

The Ministry added that among those killed are 311 children, meanwhile the number of those injured reached 4,525 among them 300 in critical conditions.

Palestinian sources reported that the Israeli army shelled residential areas in Gaza City and in the nearby Jabalyia town, meanwhile Israeli tanks advanced from several areas deeper into the Costal region.

Witnesses and reporters said that a clouds of smoke covered sky over Gaza City in the morning due to the Israeli intense bombardment.

In Gaza City one of the targets was a local graveyard, Israeli jetfighters fired missiles at the tombs destroying them and leaving the buried bodies out in the open due to the explosions.

Palestinian resistance groups clashed with the Israeli ground forces in deferent location, the groups reported that they managed to injure 10 Israeli soldiers.

Israeli sources said that 5 soldiers were injured in the morning and overnight clashes, adding that one of them sustained critical wounds. Meanwhile home-made shells fired from Gaza continued to hit the Israeli, the Israeli army radio said that at least 10 home-made shells hit northern Israel towns and the Negev. Damage was reported but no injures.

The Israeli Army embarked on its military offensive on Saturday, December 27th, 2008. Israeli warplanes began the military operation by shelling every possible Palestinian security posts in Gaza. In the following days, the air raids were expanded; hospitals, homes, blacksmith workshops, schools, mosques, ambulances, media and UN relief efforts were targeted.

Day and night, the entire Palestinian coastal region has been under attack. On Saturday, January 3rd, 2009, Israeli ground forces entered the Gaza strip and have since divided Gaza into two sections. The Israeli government decided on Sunday night to intensify its operation in Gaza and extend hostilities to "phase three".

More NEWS FROM GAZA

B4B

Obama: I'll Have Plenty To Say

On Gaza After Jan. 20th

By Steve Holland

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President-elect Barack Obama, breaking his silence about the Gaza war, expressed deep concern on Tuesday about civilian deaths in Gaza and in Israel and vowed to push for Middle East peace when he takes power.

Speaking after Israeli tank shells killed at least 40 Palestinians at a U.N. school where civilians had taken shelter, Obama said "the loss of civilian life in Gaza and in Israel is a source of deep concern for me."

Obama otherwise said he would adhere to his principle that only U.S. President George W. Bush would speak for American foreign policy at this time, but said he would have plenty more to say after his January 20 inauguration.

He expressed deep concern about the conflict but made no mention of a "durable, sustainable and not time-limited" cease-fire sought by the Bush administration.

Nonetheless, he gave his most extensive comments about the Gaza conflict, responding to criticism from some commentators in the region that he had been too quiet about a top foreign policy challenge that will greet him as soon as he walks into the White House.

Obama was accused by critics both of siding with Israel with his silence or of failing to stand with the Jewish state as it seeks to repel rocket attacks from the Palestinian militant group Hamas.

Speaking to reporters, Obama pledged to work for a resolution to the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict, an issue that has bedevilled several American presidents.

"After January 20 I'm going to have plenty to say about the issue, and I am not backing away at all from what I said during the campaign, that starting at the beginning of our administration, we are going to be engaged effectively and consistently in trying to resolve the conflict in the Middle East," he said. "That's something I am committed to."

B4B

Israeli Ground Troops Invade Gaza

Palestinian Death Toll 460 in Last 8 Days
...Many Women & Children !
(See Horrific Video Below)

Israeli troops have invaded the Gaza Strip by land, accompanied by helicopters and tanks, late Saturday night. Casualties of Saturday's invasion are unknown as of yet, but eight days of airstrikes have left 460 Palestinians dead.

Palestinian sources said that Israeli tanks and armored vehicles, supported by army helicopters invaded the Gaza Strip from several directions.

An Israel military spokesperson, Avital Leibovitch, stated that the objective of the attack is to destroy the Hamas infrastructure in Gaza.

According to local sources, thousands of Israeli soldiers are taking part in the attack including infantry, tanks, engineering forces, artillery and intelligence with the support of the Israel Air Force. Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak stated, "It won't be easy and it won't be brief. We're continuing to expand the operation while being well aware that this move will include challenges, difficulties, and also victims."

Palestinian resistance fighters clashed with the Israeli invading troops, sources reported from Gaza.

Hours before the ground attack Israeli jetfighters shelled a local mosque located in Beit Lahyia, in the northern part of the Gaza Strip, killing 13 civilians. The Palestinian Ministry of Health in the Coastal Region said that the death toll in Gaza by Saturday evening due to the Israel's continued bombardment now stands at 460, most of whom are civilians.

The Ministry added that the week of airstrikes have alsoleft 2300 Palestinians injured, in a besieged, crowded Gaza Strip that is lacking even the most basic of medicines and medical care. Israel started its military offensive last Saturday, December 27th, 2008, a week and half after the six-month-long Egyptian-mediated ceasefire finished, on December 16th 2008. Although Israel accuses the Hamas government in Gaza of breaking the truce, the Palestinian Center for Human Rights documented hundreds of truce violations by the Israeli military, including three violations on the very day the truce began on June 19th, 2008.

Israeli warplanes started by shelling all the Palestinian security posts in Gaza. In the following days the air raids were expanded. Hospitals, homes, blacksmith workshops, a television station, schools and mosques were targeted. Day and night, the entire Palestinian coastal region has been under attack for the last week..

On Saturday morning, the Israeli Army announced that a full-scale ground offensive in Gaza is now a matter of hours.

B4B NOTE: 85% of Israeli Citizens are

AGAINST Israel's Invasion of Gaza

THIS DEADLY INVASION MUST BE STOPPED !

Learn Truths About Israel from Fellow Jews

Visit: www.If Americans Knew.org

CLICK: For More TRUTHS from the Palestinian Perspective

B4B

VIDEO:

Watch Horrific Footage following Israeli attack on Gaza 1/1/09

warning: extremely raw (graphic)