Israel marches into Gaza

Israeli ground forces entered the territory of the Gaza Strip at approximately 8 p.m. local time on January 3, coupled with artillery fire from the land and the sea. Helicopters and fixed wing aircraft also showered the area with rocket fire and bombardment in support of the invasion under the cover of darkness. Resistance on the part of the Hamas terrorist organization, which has controlled Gaza for two years until now, has been sporadic but is expected to increase once troops and armored vehicles can be picked off by small-arms fire.

Hamas’ rhetoric has been hot since Israeli tanks crossed the concrete barriers dividing Gaza from Israel. A Hamas spokesman threatened Israeli troops on Al Jazeera saying “The price of this incursión will be very high. Gaza will be your tomb.” For his part, Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak admitted that this operation “will be neither short nor simple…We are not hungry for war, but we will not tolerate a situation in which our cities are constantly targeted by Hamas.”

On the morning of January 3, Israeli bombardment concentrated on the dwelling of mid-level Hamas functionaries, following on the killing of Abin Fuqin Around and his 4 wives the day before. By afternoon, the Beit Lahia mosque in northern Gaza was also targeted and destroyed by Israeli aerial bombs. According to reports, some 11 persons died at the mosque which Israel claims had been used for storing weapons – as has been the case in Iraq. Before the advance of Israeli armour and troops, the Saladin highway linking the northern and southern sectors of Gaza was bombarded. According to an Israeli army spokesperson, Israel intends to damage Hamas-controlled infrastructure and bring the organization to heel. So far, some 450 Palestinians – mostly Hamas militants – have been killed by Israel heretofore since the offensive began seven days before. Hamas continued to fire Grad, Kassam and Katyusha rockets into Israel, as has for several years, even after the offensive began and killed four Israeli civilians including a mother of four children.

According to Israeli military sources, the civilian residents of Gaza are not the targets of the operation. Women, children, and the elderly are being used, according to the Israelis, as human shields by Hamas. In addition, Israeli military sources said that anyone harboring arms or terrorists will be considered a terrorist.

Israel has total control of the skies over Gaza and some 10,000 are now involved in the ground operations. Hamas leaders are promising to make Gaza a tomb for Israeli soldiers. The effect of the incursion, and the promise of dead Israelis, on the February 2009 parliamentary election in Israel are in play.