ISRAEL: Israeli tanks mass on Gaza border as ground operation continues inside the Hamas-run territory

Record ID: 396480

  • Title: ISRAEL: Israeli tanks mass on Gaza border as ground operation continues inside the Hamas-run territory
  • Date: 12th January 2009
  • Summary: ++DAY SHOTS++ MORE OF BORDER AREA VARIOUS OF EXPLOSIONS, SMOKE RISING ABOVE GAZA (3 SHOTS) VARIOUS OF ISRAELI TANKS NEAR BORDER (5 SHOTS) ISRAELI SOLDIER PREPARING MACHINE GUN ON TANK VARIOUS: MORE OF TANKS DEPLOYED ALONG GAZA BORDER (4 SHOTS)
  • Embargoed: 27th January 2009 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Israel
  • Country: Israel
  • Topics: Defence / Military
  • Reuters ID: LVA2C3MWJ1Z0JY9WSW8YLPTBC7RQ
  • Story Text: Israeli tanks mass on Gaza border as ground troops operate inside the coastal territory for the 17th consecutive day.
    Israeli tanks on Monday (January 12) massed along the border with Gaza as ground troops continued to operated inside the coastal strip on the 17th consecutive day of Israel's offensive against Hamas.
    On Sunday (January 11) Israeli leaders trying to find a knockout blow for Hamas militants called in army reservists into battle.
    With the Palestinian death toll nearing 900 and world pressure for a ceasefire mounting, Israeli forces might launch a full-scale attack on Hamas smuggling tunnels on Gaza's border with Egypt, and perhaps a wider urban operation.
    Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Defence Minister Ehud Barak and Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni met late on Sunday and decided to tighten pressure on Hamas, Israel Radio said.
    The reservists had been held back while Israeli leaders ponder an all-out ground offensive on Gaza's towns and cities to try to destroy Hamas's ability to fire rockets into Israel.
    Such a move would risk higher Israeli military casualties as well as even heavier losses among the 1.5 million Palestinians packed into the tiny coastal enclave with no escape route.
    Israel, which rejected last week's U.N. ceasefire resolution as unworkable, wants a halt to rocket attacks and measures to stop Hamas from rearming via the cross-border tunnels.
    Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal said his ruling Islamist group would not consider a ceasefire until Israel ended its air, sea and ground assault and lifted its blockade of Gaza. A Hamas delegation is in Cairo for talks on an Egyptian truce plan.
    Western and Israeli officials said diplomats were discussing a broad internationally-assisted monitoring system to help Egypt stop weapons smuggling and intercept rocket shipments.
    The Palestinian death toll since Israel's offensive began on Dec. 27 stands at 890, many of them civilians, Gaza medical officials said. About 3,600 Palestinians have been wounded.
    Thirteen Israelis -- three civilians hit by rocket fire and 10 soldiers -- have been killed, Israel says.
    In Washington, U.S. President-elect Barack Obama said the deaths of Palestinian and Israeli civilians were "heartbreaking" and vowed early involvement in the quest for Middle East peace.
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