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Israel poised to invade Gaza
Martin Bentham, Home Affairs Editor02.01.09
ISRAEL is ready to launch a ground offensive inside Gaza in what would be a major escalation of its fight against Hamas, one of the country's senior ministers said as the conflict entered its sixth day.
Social welfare minister Isaac Herzog said that preparations for a land assault on militant forces were complete and he gave a warning that his country's leaders were ready to give the go-ahead whenever necessary.
The conflict has claimed more than 400 Palestinian lives so far with four people killed in Israel. Another 1,700 have been injured in Gaza.
Israel's military confirmed that its preparations for a ground assault were complete and that troops were ready to cross the border if its air operation to stamp out Hamas rocket fire needed to be expanded. Soldiers massed along the Gaza frontier said they were eager to join the fight and some cheered as they heard thunderous air strikes in the distance. Israeli security forces were bracing themselves for potential retaliatory attacks after Hamas called for a "day of wrath".
Details emerged yesterday of the killing of senior Hamas leader Nizar Rayyan, who had called for suicide bombings inside Israel, in a missile strike on his home in the Gaza strip. He is the most prominent Hamas militant to be killed since 2004.
Only a day before he had warned Israel of retaliatory attacks "even deeper" inside its country, saying Hamas "would kill the enemy and take hostages" if there were any ground incursion.
An Israeli strike on his home obliterated the four-storey apartment building and peeled off the walls of others around it, carving out a vast field of rubble in the crowded Jebaliya town in north Gaza.
Eighteen other people, including all four of Rayyan's wives and nine of his 12 children, were also killed, Palestinian health officials said. One man cradled the burned, limp body of a young child he pulled from the rubble.
Rayyan, 49, a professor of Islamic law, was known for his close ties to the Hamas military wing and was respected in Gaza for donning combat fatigues and taking part in clashes against Israeli forces. He sent one son on an October 2001 suicide mission that killed two Israeli settlers in Gaza.
Rayyan's house was one of five hit by the military yesterday and was among more than 20 targets.
Israel's military said the homes of Hamas leaders were being used to store weapons, adding that the hit on Rayyan's house had triggered secondary explosions.
Israel has targeted Hamas leaders many times in the past, and the current leadership went into hiding at the start of Israel's offensive. Rayyan, however, was known for his open defiance.
Boosted by the hit, Israel seemed determined to press ahead with strikes on Hamas houses. It is also targeting government buildings - evacuated days ago - as well as rocket launching sites and tunnels leading under the Egyptian border that are used for smuggling.
Reader views (3)
The Hamas have been sending rockets into Israel from gaza for the past 8 years. If the Hamas hadnt been sending rockets into Israel they would not be facing the current attack - that is the fact. If you lived under fear of rockets landing on your house and killing your family, you would want your Government to react and stop it. It is over-due that action should be taken to stop this terrorist organisation. The Arab countries providing the rockets and weapons used by the Hamas are just using the Palestinians to do their dirty work and to attack Israel. Why not give food and other aid to the Palestinians instead weapons and rockets? That would truly make a difference to the region. Violence only begets violence and stopping this spiral has to be the aim.
- Krista, Geneva, Switzerland
Here is what Tzpini Livni has said:"I think that even now, after a few days of operation we have achieved changes,"
Principal achievement is that Israel has even more suicide bombers to face in the future. How would you feel if one of your relations had been killed or maimed during the bombing of Gaza?
- Bakunin, London
The sooner the IDF enter Gaza the better, did Hamas really believe that Israel would stand by and allow them to fire rockets daily at Israel. They are paying the price and it will be a heavy price until they are humiliated into surrender.
- Jonny, Manchester
