Ĉmeric
01-12-2009, 06:07 PM
"GAZA (Reuters) – Israeli troops fought gun battles with Hamas fighters on Monday, keeping military pressure on the Islamist group while avoiding all-out urban warfare that would complicate ongoing diplomatic efforts to end the Gaza war.
Medical officials said the Palestinian death toll in the offensive Israel began 17 days ago had risen past 900 and included at least 380 civilians. Israel says three Israeli civilians, hit by Hamas rockets, and 10 soldiers have died.
Along battle lines in the suburbs of the rubble-strewn city of Gaza, Israeli soldiers and Hamas militants engaged in more fierce fighting.
Residents and local journalists said Israeli troops and tanks had taken up positions in open areas, seeking to penetrate guerrilla defenses in built-up zones that included booby-traps, snipers and fighters with rocket-propelled grenades.
Among targets hit by air strikes were the homes of more Hamas leaders, which Israel said contained weapons stores.
But Israeli forces were still holding back from a threatened third stage of their deadliest assault on Palestinian militants in decades -- a push into the city of Gaza and other urban areas to add more punch to an air campaign and ground offensive."
Continue reading: (http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090112/ts_nm/us_palestinians_israel)
I wonder if it ever occured to the Israelis that their overkill in inflicting civilian casualities means that Hamas or some other group will seek revenge later on by firing more missles into Israel or sending more suicide bombers into Israeli areas.:fponder:
Medical officials said the Palestinian death toll in the offensive Israel began 17 days ago had risen past 900 and included at least 380 civilians. Israel says three Israeli civilians, hit by Hamas rockets, and 10 soldiers have died.
Along battle lines in the suburbs of the rubble-strewn city of Gaza, Israeli soldiers and Hamas militants engaged in more fierce fighting.
Residents and local journalists said Israeli troops and tanks had taken up positions in open areas, seeking to penetrate guerrilla defenses in built-up zones that included booby-traps, snipers and fighters with rocket-propelled grenades.
Among targets hit by air strikes were the homes of more Hamas leaders, which Israel said contained weapons stores.
But Israeli forces were still holding back from a threatened third stage of their deadliest assault on Palestinian militants in decades -- a push into the city of Gaza and other urban areas to add more punch to an air campaign and ground offensive."
Continue reading: (http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090112/ts_nm/us_palestinians_israel)
I wonder if it ever occured to the Israelis that their overkill in inflicting civilian casualities means that Hamas or some other group will seek revenge later on by firing more missles into Israel or sending more suicide bombers into Israeli areas.:fponder: