Israel warplanes dropped at least 16 bombs today hitting targets that include government buildings and killing 12 Palestinians including two kids age four and 11. On the other side, Hamas fired several rockets, finding its targets inside Israel. The other day three Israelis were killed in cross boarder attacks.
Earlier, the Islamic University in Gaza was attacked by Israeli war planes destroying its science and engineering buildings and damaging other nearby buildings. The attack on the university drew outrage from the school officials saying that the university should have been spared as it had nothing to do with the conflict.
Yahoo news reported ‘both sides rejected any notion of a ceasefire soon, three days after Israeli leaders launched bombing raids with the declared aim of halting rocket salvoes from Hamas-controlled coastal enclave’ Medical officials put Palestinian casualties since Saturday at 348 dead with more than 800 wounded. A United Nations agency said, at least 62 of the dead are civilians. All in all, four Israelis were killed in cross boarder salvoes, according to the report.
Israel defense minister Ehud Barak earlier said that they are gathering their ground forces along the boarder in preparation for an expanded operation to counter the continued firing by Hamas forces.
Israel Interior Minister, Mier Sheetrit said there was ‘no room for a ceasefire with Hamas until the threat of rocket fire had been removed’
The US has not issued a call on Israel for restraint and instead put the blame on Hamas for its continued rocket attack. ‘Israel is going after terrorists who are firing rockets and mortars into Israel and they are taking the steps that they feel are necessary to deal with the terrorist threat’. In order for violence to stop, ‘Hamas must stop firing rockets into Israel and agree to respect a sustainable and durable ceasefire’ Gordon Johndroe, White House spokesman said in a report by guardian.co.uk
The UN secretary-general Ban Ki mon called for a decisive action to end the violence and urge the international community to step up pressure for a political solution.
In the meantime, the deputy head of Hamas politburo told AP ‘We need our liberty, we need our freedom and we need to be independent. If we don’t accomplish this objective, then we have to resist. This is our right.’
Both sides have repeatedly announced their hard-line stance on the issues involved. Israel said that the only way to put an end to the four-day war is for Hamas to stop firing rockets inside Israel while Hamas vowed to resist the on-going military assault and fight to the end.