ID :
37727
Sun, 12/28/2008 - 16:47
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/37727
The shortlink copeid
Israel bombs Gaza for 2nd day, 271 killed, over 900 wounded
JERUSALEM, Dec. 28 Kyodo - Israel launched airstrikes on the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip for the second
successive day on Sunday, leaving 271 people dead over two days and about 900
wounded according to Palestinian rescue workers, in one of the bloodiest aerial
assaults against the Palestinians in their 60 years of conflict with the Jewish
state.
In New York, the U.N. Security Council met in emergency session late Saturday
and issued a statement calling for a halt to all violence between Israel and
Hamas, the Palestinian militant group which rules the Gaza Strip.
''The members of the Security Council expressed serious concern at the
escalation of the situation in Gaza and called for an immediate halt to all
violence,'' according to the statement, released in the early hours of Sunday.
The Israeli military said Israeli warplanes and combat helicopters attacked
more than 20 sites in Gaza.
Hamas pledged revenge including suicide bomb attacks in the ''cafes and
streets'' of Israel as airstrikes by Israel continued late into the night,
Reuters reported.
In an interview with the Al-Jazeera Arabic TV network Saturday, Khaled Meshaal,
the political leader of Hamas, called for Palestinians to wage a new intifada
(uprising) against Israel, including a return to suicide missions.
Israel said the offensive would continue as long as necessary and that it could
also involve land forces, according to Reuters.
Israel said the strikes were in response to almost daily rocket and mortar fire
by Gaza militants, which intensified after Hamas ended a six-month cease-fire a
week ago.
The rockets caused some injuries, but Israeli leaders were under pressure to
stop the attacks ahead of a Feb. 10 election, which opinion polls show the
right-wing opposition Likud party could win, the Reuters report said.
Israel said its warplanes launched about 100 strikes Saturday and that
Palestinian militants had fired around 70 rockets, killing an Israeli man,
according to the report.
In a statement issued late Saturday, U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki Moon said he
''is deeply alarmed by today's heavy violence and bloodshed in Gaza, and the
continuation of violence in southern Israel.''
''While recognizing Israel's security concerns regarding the continued firing
of rockets from Gaza, he firmly reiterates Israel's obligation to uphold
international humanitarian and human rights law and condemns excessive use of
force leading to the killing and injuring of civilians,'' the statement said.
In Cairo, Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa said late Saturday that Arab
League foreign ministers will meet in Cairo on Wednesday, instead of Sunday as
initially planned, citing scheduling conflicts for some Arab League foreign
ministers.
==Kyodo
2008-12-28 17:46:36
successive day on Sunday, leaving 271 people dead over two days and about 900
wounded according to Palestinian rescue workers, in one of the bloodiest aerial
assaults against the Palestinians in their 60 years of conflict with the Jewish
state.
In New York, the U.N. Security Council met in emergency session late Saturday
and issued a statement calling for a halt to all violence between Israel and
Hamas, the Palestinian militant group which rules the Gaza Strip.
''The members of the Security Council expressed serious concern at the
escalation of the situation in Gaza and called for an immediate halt to all
violence,'' according to the statement, released in the early hours of Sunday.
The Israeli military said Israeli warplanes and combat helicopters attacked
more than 20 sites in Gaza.
Hamas pledged revenge including suicide bomb attacks in the ''cafes and
streets'' of Israel as airstrikes by Israel continued late into the night,
Reuters reported.
In an interview with the Al-Jazeera Arabic TV network Saturday, Khaled Meshaal,
the political leader of Hamas, called for Palestinians to wage a new intifada
(uprising) against Israel, including a return to suicide missions.
Israel said the offensive would continue as long as necessary and that it could
also involve land forces, according to Reuters.
Israel said the strikes were in response to almost daily rocket and mortar fire
by Gaza militants, which intensified after Hamas ended a six-month cease-fire a
week ago.
The rockets caused some injuries, but Israeli leaders were under pressure to
stop the attacks ahead of a Feb. 10 election, which opinion polls show the
right-wing opposition Likud party could win, the Reuters report said.
Israel said its warplanes launched about 100 strikes Saturday and that
Palestinian militants had fired around 70 rockets, killing an Israeli man,
according to the report.
In a statement issued late Saturday, U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki Moon said he
''is deeply alarmed by today's heavy violence and bloodshed in Gaza, and the
continuation of violence in southern Israel.''
''While recognizing Israel's security concerns regarding the continued firing
of rockets from Gaza, he firmly reiterates Israel's obligation to uphold
international humanitarian and human rights law and condemns excessive use of
force leading to the killing and injuring of civilians,'' the statement said.
In Cairo, Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa said late Saturday that Arab
League foreign ministers will meet in Cairo on Wednesday, instead of Sunday as
initially planned, citing scheduling conflicts for some Arab League foreign
ministers.
==Kyodo
2008-12-28 17:46:36
