Israel decides to move forward with "Phase three" in Gaza

Monday January 12, 2009 13:37 by Ghassan Bannoura - IMEMC News & Agencies

The Israeli government decided on Sunday night to intensify its operation in Gaza, the Israeli Radio reported on Monday morning.  

Israeli PM Ehud Olmert - File 2008

The Radio reported that a meeting last night which included the Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Defense Minister Ehud Barak, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs Tzipi Livni.

During the meeting, the three decided to extend the military operations to its third stage.  They also agreed to reschedule the visit of Ivad Ghelad, the chief of Security and Political Affairs Dept. in the Israel Defense Ministry from today to Tuesday.  

The Israeli government demands from Egypt that they put an end to the smuggling of weapons into the Gaza Strip through tunnels from within Egypt's borders. The Israeli radio reported that Israel is wiling to stop the attack, that entered its 15th day on Monday, if Egypt manages to form an effective mechanism to control its borders with Gaza.  

The Israeli Army embarked on its military offensive on Saturday, December 27, 2008. In the first stage, warplanes shelled all Palestinian security posts in the Gaza Strip. In the following days, the shelling was expanded. Hospitals, homes, blacksmith workshops, schools, and mosques were targeted. Day and night, the entire Palestinian coastal region was under attack.  

On Saturday, January 3, 2009, the second stage of the attacks was implemented as Israeli ground forces entered the Gaza Strip from several directions, cutting off Gaza City from the rest of the Coastal region.  

On Monday, IMEMC corresponded in Gaza reported that Israel had called up more reserve troops to Gaza. Tanks and existing infantry units proceeded to push deeper inside the coastal territory. The Israeli government decided last night to call more reserve units back to action, Israeli radio stated.  

Since the start of the Israeli attack on Gaza 17 days ago, 901 Palestinians have been reported killed, more that 50 percent children, while 3,695 others were wounded, including 300 in critical conditions.  These figures don't take into consideration the hundreds of bodies gone mising under the rubble.

israel | israeli attacks | news report ghassanb at imemc dot org