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Israel Renews Air Strikes on Gaza

Published: Mon 29 Dec 2008 09:11 AM
Scoop Link: Israel Renews Air Strikes on Gaza
BBC News
The URL of this article is: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7801662.stm
Israeli jets have launched a second day of air attacks on the Gaza Strip, amid warnings that operations will continue until Hamas ends rocket fire from Gaza.
Palestinians now say at least 280 people have died, while Israel is said to be considering a ground assault and has authorised the call-up of reserves.
At the UN, the Security Council called for an end to all violence in Gaza, including rocket attacks from Gaza.
Israel says militants have fired 110 rockets into Israel since Saturday.
The country's cabinet has authorised the call-up of reserve soldiers, with unconfirmed reports saying as many as 6,500 could be summoned for duty.
The air strikes were launched on Saturday against Hamas targets in the densely-populated coastal territory, less than a week after the expiry of a six-month-long ceasefire deal with the militant group.
Israel hit targets in all Gaza's main towns, including Gaza City in the north and Khan Younis and Rafah in the south.
More than 210 targets were hit in the first 24 hours of what Israel says could be a lengthy military operation.
"Israel will continue until we have a new security environment in the south, when the population there will not longer live in terror and in fear of constant rocket barrages," said government spokesman Mark Regev.
The high numbers of casualties made Saturday the single deadliest day in the Gaza Strip since Israel's occupation of the territory in 1967, analysts said, although no independent confirmation is available of the numbers killed.
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Full story: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7801662.stm
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