- Title: VARIOUS: Israel's assault on Gaza enters 13th night, UN agency halts work
- Date: 9th January 2009
- Summary: BUS CARRYING FOREIGN NATIONALS LEAVING
- Embargoed: 24th January 2009 12:00
- Keywords:
- Topics: War / Fighting,International Relations
- Reuters ID: LVA3PJHE6AGJU72B6ZU5Q3SWA4BX
- Story Text: Israel continues to pound the Gaza Strip as Palestinian death toll tops
The Palestinians face grimmer conditions after a U.N. aid agency halted work, saying its staff were at risk from Israeli forces fighting Hamas militants.
The Israeli bombardment of Gaza continued on Thursday evening (January 8) as the Palestinian death toll topped 750.
In the latest Israeli attack, harsh bombardments shook the coastal strip.
Palestinians faced even grimmer conditions in the Gaza Strip after a U.N. aid agency halted work, saying its staff were at risk from Israeli forces fighting Hamas militants, after two drivers were killed.
Israel also came under sharp Red Cross criticism that it was delaying access to casualties.
Gaza medical officials and the Red Crescent recovered 35 more bodies from battle areas of north and east Gaza, raising the reported Palestinian death toll to 765.
Despite the hellish conditions for the 1.5 million Palestinians crammed into the coastal strip, international efforts to secure a ceasefire have yet to bear fruit.
But the United States, Britain and France dropped objections to a binding U.N. resolution on the Gaza crisis and were working on one calling for an immediate ceasefire, diplomats said.
It would also include the need for action to stop smuggling of arms to Hamas militants and to open Gaza's border crossings.
Neither Israel nor Hamas yet agrees to an Egyptian-European proposal that has U.S. support. Hamas says any ceasefire must end the Israeli-led blockade and Israeli cross-border raids.
Foreign nationals who were allowed by Israel to leave Gaza were at the Erez border crossing on Thursday.
Carrying their luggage, men, women and children boarded buses to leave the besieged territory. They spoke about their experience.
"Every day we have like a.. on the phone, someone calls us from the Israeli soldiers and they say that you would see more and more (Israeli strikes), and this is not only.. this is not enough for you, and this is because of you and because of Hamas and this will not stop," said one of the women who left Gaza with her children.
A military spokesperson said that more than 20 rockets fired from Gaza had hit southern Israel on Thursday (January 8).
Several rockets hit the town of Ashkelon, forcing people to rush for shelter.
Also in Ashkelon, Cabinet Minister Isaac Herzog convened a news conference.
"Although Israel welcomes the efforts I must say, Israel welcomes the Egyptian- French effort today Israeli officials and General Amos Gilad from the Ministry of Defence will discuss these issues with the Egyptians. But if God forbids, that fails, then we are fully ready and we are fully determined to continue the operation, to enlarge it, and to deepen if necessary. The army and the military are ready. There is a sort of a window of time, of a few days, where Israel has basically its own time to determine which option to take pending the situation," he told reporters.
Elsewhere, in a southern military camp, Israel's top decision makers, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Defence Minister Ehud Barak and Military Chief of Staff Gabby Ashkenazi held a meeting with military officials.
Figures from the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza showed that 750 people had been killed and at least 3,000 wounded since the Israeli assault began on Dec. 27.
At least 11 Israelis have been killed, eight of them soldiers, including four hit by "friendly" fire.
Hamas called off a six-month ceasefire late last month, accusing Israel of breaking an agreement to open border crossings to more supplies.
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