The Israeli Defense Ministry vowed to intensify its bombardments of Gaza that have so far claimed the lives of more than 16 Palestinians, including children, AFP reported.
"As long as calm does not prevail on the Israeli side, neither will it do so on the Palestinian side," said Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz. "Our operations are going to intensify."
At least 16 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli air strikes and tank shelling since Friday night.
The latest victim was an eight-year-old girl who died on Monday when an Israeli shell hit her house in the Beit Lahiya region in northern Gaza. Seven of her brothers and sisters were also wounded in the Israeli attack.
A seven-year-old boy was also killed in an air strike on Friday.
The Israeli army claims that the operation is aimed at deterring rocket attacks by Palestinian resistance groups, namely Al-Aqsa Martyrs‘ Brigades and the Islamic Jihad.
But Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniya said the bombardments were aimed at shattering the will of the Palestinian people.
"The bombardments in the north of the Gaza Strip and in (southern) Khan Yunis ... are part of a political and economic siege of the Palestinian people," said Haniya, whose Hamas party came to power two weeks ago.
"This is an attempt to bring the Palestinian people to their knees and strangle the government which was democratically elected," he added.
Both Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades and the Islamic Jihad vowed to continue their resistance.
"We will continue firing rockets in response to the crimes and Israeli aggressions, namely their assassinations and bombardments against the Palestinian people," Al-Aqsa Brigades spokesman Abu Ahmed told AFP.
A Jihad spokesman also said that his movement would "continue to respond to the Israeli aggression by any means."
Meanwhile, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said that his office contacted the Israeli government over the attacks. "We are making these contacts to stop the Israeli escalation in Gaza," he said.
The Gaza head of the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees, John Ging, expressed "great concern" over the situation after visiting UN-run schools which he feared could end up in the firing line.
"There are very real concerns and we want this to be taken into account," he said.
A group of Israeli and Palestinian human rights organizations also urged the Israeli army to end its aggression and cancel its decision to reduce the "safety zone" for artillery fire.
Physicians for Human Rights, B'Tselem, the Association for Civil Rights in Israel, the Al-Mezan Centre for Human Rights and the Gaza Community Mental Health Program warned that "massive artillery fire causes disproportionate harm to the civilian population."
The joint statement said such attacks constitute a "blatant violation of the Basic Rule of the laws of armed conflict, whereby civilians and civilian objects must be distinguished from military objectives."
Meanwhile, a recent poll by Israel’s state television showed that 72% respondents support stepping up the bombardment campaign. And 80% back the government’s decision to severe ties with the Hamas-led government.
As long as they keep firing rockets into Israle I say the Israeli's should keep goingformat_quote Originally Posted by G-HaD-Ta-Raaza
The Israeli Defense Ministry vowed to intensify its bombardments of Gaza that have so far claimed the lives of more than 16 Palestinians, including children, AFP reported.
"As long as calm does not prevail on the Israeli side, neither will it do so on the Palestinian side," said Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz. "Our operations are going to intensify."
At least 16 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli air strikes and tank shelling since Friday night.
The latest victim was an eight-year-old girl who died on Monday when an Israeli shell hit her house in the Beit Lahiya region in northern Gaza. Seven of her brothers and sisters were also wounded in the Israeli attack.
A seven-year-old boy was also killed in an air strike on Friday.
The Israeli army claims that the operation is aimed at deterring rocket attacks by Palestinian resistance groups, namely Al-Aqsa Martyrs‘ Brigades and the Islamic Jihad.
But Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniya said the bombardments were aimed at shattering the will of the Palestinian people.
"The bombardments in the north of the Gaza Strip and in (southern) Khan Yunis ... are part of a political and economic siege of the Palestinian people," said Haniya, whose Hamas party came to power two weeks ago.
"This is an attempt to bring the Palestinian people to their knees and strangle the government which was democratically elected," he added.
Both Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades and the Islamic Jihad vowed to continue their resistance.
"We will continue firing rockets in response to the crimes and Israeli aggressions, namely their assassinations and bombardments against the Palestinian people," Al-Aqsa Brigades spokesman Abu Ahmed told AFP.
A Jihad spokesman also said that his movement would "continue to respond to the Israeli aggression by any means."
Meanwhile, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said that his office contacted the Israeli government over the attacks. "We are making these contacts to stop the Israeli escalation in Gaza," he said.
The Gaza head of the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees, John Ging, expressed "great concern" over the situation after visiting UN-run schools which he feared could end up in the firing line.
"There are very real concerns and we want this to be taken into account," he said.
A group of Israeli and Palestinian human rights organizations also urged the Israeli army to end its aggression and cancel its decision to reduce the "safety zone" for artillery fire.
Physicians for Human Rights, B'Tselem, the Association for Civil Rights in Israel, the Al-Mezan Centre for Human Rights and the Gaza Community Mental Health Program warned that "massive artillery fire causes disproportionate harm to the civilian population."
The joint statement said such attacks constitute a "blatant violation of the Basic Rule of the laws of armed conflict, whereby civilians and civilian objects must be distinguished from military objectives."
Meanwhile, a recent poll by Israel’s state television showed that 72% respondents support stepping up the bombardment campaign. And 80% back the government’s decision to severe ties with the Hamas-led government.
oh really?
definitelyformat_quote Originally Posted by amani
Oh yeah!
Well, I say AIDS and and Bird flu as well as Sarsarin Aathiyah upon that country!!
I hope all the children of Israel have AIDS and stop reproducing so they will in the end hav no more heirs...LOL...LOLL...LOLL!!!
DEATH TO FILTHY AND UNLAWFUL PIGS!
Israel is a fake country acclaimed through filthy times with the US and Britain.
lol right religion of peace. What was that about respecting the people of the Book again?format_quote Originally Posted by Iqram
we have a right to fight back when being attacked!
LOLformat_quote Originally Posted by knuckles
don't try it....
Cos it wont work.....Religious black mail is a crime.....
They have no mercy for Palestine, I have lost all my tollerance and mercy to that nation......DEATH upon them all.
I have mercy for them as long as they aren't launching rockets and blowing up discoteques. If you are launching rockets from a playground that playground is a legitimate target.format_quote Originally Posted by Iqram
So do Israelisformat_quote Originally Posted by G-HaD-Ta-Raaza
Yea who will be victorious in the end i wonder, definitely not the Israelis
Yes they are launching rockets for a reason....Why do you think Israel is the good old chum in all of this?format_quote Originally Posted by knuckles
They are the worst crooks I have ever seen....worse than the Americans......
Their main goal is to eliminate Palestine.......Are you so slow that you can't realise that?
isreali government are the real terrorists not to mention America
Palestine deserve their Land back....All of it!!!!
Israel are just in the picture cos of their long lost step father, America!
i seeformat_quote Originally Posted by knuckles
so if they launch at night when no kids at school its perfectly alright for the school to be attacked at day time? i mean im sure the people launching rockets would hang around. im sure those schools have nothing better to do than hide 'militants'. im sure those kids are really militants. right????
Easy solution. Don't fire from playgrounds and you don't have to worry about it day or night.format_quote Originally Posted by amani
isreal dont care if they target civilians or not even if they are children or babies, they just wanna kill as much palestians as they can
Even if there is a cease fire from the Palestinians....Israel are such filthy *******S they will always like to stir the pot again......
If that was the case there would be no Pals. They are outgunned and outmanned. What could the Pals do toy stop them from wiping them all out?format_quote Originally Posted by G-HaD-Ta-Raaza
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