Israel-Gaza Conflict Summary V

Part 5 of series of summaries on the current Israel-Gaza conflict based on various news sources from the past few days. Links to other parts: part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4

Jan 13
Heavy clashes were reported on several sides of the Gaza city’s outskirts.

Hamas released video of Israeli soldier hit by sniper fire.

Israel claims lots of houses are booby trapped but they are using sniffing dog to detect them. There’s seems to be an elaborate network of tunnel build under houses.

Jan 14
Rocket launched from Lebanon hitting open area in northern Israel. Lebanese army dismantled three rockets sets to be fired. It was not clear if Hezbollah or Al Qaeda linked group was involve. Hezbollah have denied rockets fired from Lebanon earlier in the Gaza conflict. However, Hezbollah does not seem to be patrolling nor making effort to stop the rocket fire.

Pro-Palestinian protesters in Lebanon forced Beirut Starbucks to close.

Israel deploy troops along the Lebanon border.

Bin Laden released tape calling for Jihad on Israel. Secular Syria warned Bin Laden is trying to convert Palestinian and Arabs to his ideology and this conflict would only promotes extremism.

Jan 15
Israel bomb hit UN aid warehouse destroying much needed food and medical aid. Another bomb hit the media center for international broadcaster.

Jerusalem Post report that crackdown against Hamas have been launched jointly between Israel’s IDF and Palestinian Fatah. Pro-Hamas university students have been arrested and other known supporters rounded up. Palestinian journalist covering the operation have been beaten by Fatah police, according to the report. Hamas called for Intifada against Fatah.

Israel gave media a controlled tour away from sites of combat.

Israel successfully killed another Hamas leader.

Hamas rockets continued to be fired into Israel.

BBC and CBC report that Israel might be carrying out last ditch push before possible ceasefire.

Israel’s neo right wing war hawk Netanyahu is reported to be the favorite in Israel election next month,  according to BBC.

/end of summary

Again a word of caution. Accounts of he says she says between Hamas and Israel are hard to confirm due to total blockade against press and media by Israel.

Came across one old news from January 10 which reported a boy in hospital recounting events to Reuters. The boy claim Israeli soldier landing from helicopters herded them into a building. Hours later the building was bombed. Red Cresecent was finally allowed to go to the site by Israel after long period of waiting time. Red Crescent claimed that when they arrived, the children were starving and was too weak to stand up.
Red Crescent criticized Israel for “unacceptable” delay in permitting rescue efforts. (source: Irish Times)

“Older men declare war. But it’s the youth who must fight and die“.  – Herbert Hoover

Israel-Gaza Conflict Summary IV – Jan 12 2009

Early in the day, an Israeli official said the end of the offensive might be near. Israeli military spokesman claim they have destroyed 200 or 2/3 of the smuggling tunnels. One Hamas leader dispute Israel’s claim of nearing its goal claiming Israel “have totally failed”.

Report put estimates of Palestinians dead at more than 900 in the 18th day of conflict. Half of them is estimated to be civilians, about 277 children. 4,100 have been wounded. Ten Israeli soldiers have been killed including three civilians.

22 rockets hit Israel yesterday.

Hamas claims Israel is trying to cover up their casualties by trying to label some deaths as friendly fire and accidents.

International news like Malaysia Star is reporting that Israel is using white phosphorous which creates white clouds that disperses to area the size of two footballs fields. It creates “the most painful injury and death, burning skin to the bone” (it goes very deep into the body and cannot be controlled). International law prohibit its use against civilian. UN Human Rights Council adopted a resolution accusing Israel of “grave” human rights violation against Palestinians.

AFP is reporting a fierce battle between Israel and Hamas, as Israel moves deeper into Gaza. Hamas claim they have destroyed two tanks and killed number of Israeli soldiers. Israel denied the claim.

Hamas leader Ismail Haniya went on television to proclaim that they are approaching victory and claim Gaza will not fall. He also said the blood of the children killed would serve as a “curse which will come back to haunt” Bush.

Hamas claim it would only agree to a ceasefire if the blockade of Gaza (installed since they were elected to power) ends.

Later in the day, Israel said they would only agree to a ceasefire when Hamas rocket stopped and they are prevented from rearming.

/end of summary

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Previous parts of this series: part 1, part 2, part 3

Summary of Israel-Gaza Conflict III

This is 3rd part of the series of summaries of the current Israel-Gaza conflict that I am trying to chronicle. Link to the first two parts: part 1, part 2.

I apologize if there are any typos and any aesthetic errors as I put this together quickly based on recollections of news I’ve heard and read during the course of several days.

Jan 5. fighting and rocket continued. With no journalist allowed into Gaza, there’s not much info available.

Jan 6. Israel tank fired at UN School in Gaza, where civilians were taking shelter, killing up to 40 Palestinian and injuring about a dozen.

Al Qaeda Zawahri taking advantage of Middle Eastern discontent urge retaliation against Israeli and Western target. He tried to link Obama to the current Israeli attack saying it’s Obama’s present to Palestinian before he take office.

Obama facing criticism from both pro-Israeli, pro-Palestinian and U.S. media expressed concern but said Bush is still in charge and he would have a lot to say once he is sworned in.

Jan 8.
Israel killed UN truck aid driver resulting in UN cancellation of Aid delivery to Gaza.

Jan 9
Egyptians discontent seems to be growing following their government blockade of aids in the Egyptian-Gaza border. Egyptian preachers labeled Jews as prophet killer and their fiery speech also condemn U.S.

Jan 10
Israel drop flyers warning Gazans of escalated attack.

Hezbollah accuses Israel of firing rocket from the Lebanon side to create pretext for attacking Lebanon. Hezbollah think Israel would attack Hezbollah after declaring victory in Gaza.

Reuters reported that about 821 Palestinians have been killed so far, many are women and children. Ten Israeli soldiers and three Israeli civilians was also killed.

Hamas rockets continue to hit Israel as both Israel and Hamas ignore the call for ceasefire.

Protest against the war continued across the world as thousands stage rally.

Israeli newspaper Haaretz quoted Gazan eye witness as saying advancing Israeli troops are dressing up as Hamas.

Jan 11
Larger crowd of protester against the Gaza war around the world with protest in New York turning violent. At least nine people were arrested and some police suffered serious injuries. CNN quoted one witnesses who reported that the violence started when one officer fell to the ground and the other police seems to panic and started “attacking young people”. Protesters claims they were maced, which police denied.

Efforts for peace talks seems to be fading as Israel and Hamas continued their attack with Israel Olmert claiming more rockets have been fired.

Israel reservist have now join the fight in Gaza.

Update Jan 12 12:00AM EST

Voice of America (VOA) reported that two Egyptian children and two police oficer were injured as Israeli bomb hit near Gaza-Egyptian border. At least 20 Palestinians were killed today alone, most of them civilians according to the VOA report.

/end of summary

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Something is bothering me over the conduct of some “Liberal” supporter here in Canada. After Ignatieff’s stupid comment about withholding humanitarian aid until Hamas stop their rocket attack, his supporter seems to be trying to stifle free expression of opinions by dictating to the Liberal bloggers what Liberal’s official position is.  This has lead a distinguish Liberal blogger to resign. ACreativerRevolution blog critical of the conduct of some “Liberals” is also getting lots of hits.

It pains me to see hatred and divisiveness propagating in the world because of this more than a decade old human created conflict. The time we join together in condemning those who starts war and support the suffering civilians will be a time when this world will finally see an end to wars. As it is right now, people so easily fall and take one side of the conflict and tolerate civilian casualties as just collateral.

I think Albert Einstein quote is very appropriate:

Heroism at command, senseless brutality, deplorable love-of-country stance, how violently I hate all this, how despicable and ignoble war is; I would rather be torn to shreds than be a part of so base an action! It is my conviction that killing under the cloak of war is nothing but an act of murder.”

– Albert Einstein

Ignatieff: Gaza Humanitarian Aid Would Have to Wait…

Toronto Star quoted Ignatieff as tying the humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza to cessation of hostilities.

“Ignatieff said Canada must do whatever it can to get humanitarian and medical relief into Gaza when there is a ceasefire, but rocket attacks on Israel by Hamas must stop first.” (The Star)

I don’t think Canada have to pick sides. On one side are the Israeli right wing war hawk who constantly wants war. Peace deal was once close at hand but the Israeli Prime Minister pushing for the peace deal was abruptly assasinated. On the other side we have the Hamas who’s popularity hinge on there being a war.  No sides deserve Canadian’s unconditional support. It’s unfortunate to see both Ignatieff and Harper positioning themselves too close to Israeli war hawks, giving up Canada’s neutrality for an unworthy cause.

Israel-Gaza Conflict Summary Jan. 4 ’09

Ground incursion began as night approaches on Jan 3, 2009. Israeli attack started at open space then moved into urban area. About 30 Israeli injured with about 2 critically. Israeli military claim these are inflicted by mortar rather than face to face combat.

During the day, an Israeli soldier was killed by gunfire. One Israeli official claim hundreds of Hamas gunmen have been killed and denied there is any humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Other news sources quoted another Israeli official as saying dozens of Hamas militants were killed.

Reuters reported at least 34 Palestinian, most of them civilians, were killed. Bringing the Gaza death toll to more than 500 with about 2,450 injured.

Air siren continue to sound as more Hamas rockets were fired into Israel making civilians scrumble for cover, including New York Mayor Bloomberg who was visiting Israel.

Palestinian leave their windows open despite the winter cold to prevent broken flying glass from windows as Israeli bombs and shells shake their houses.

Israel law enforcement open fire on Palestinian protester in West bank killing at least one person. Israel claim protester threw rock and burning tires at them.

BBC quoted Nicolas Pelham of the ICG (Int’l Crisis Group) as saying that getting rid of Hamas won’t guarantee rocket attack would stop. In fact there were more rockets being fired during “era of chaos” before Hamas takeover.

Israel claim: Hamas have been firing rocket into Israel leaving them no other choice but to respond.
Hamas claim: Israeli have been blockading Gaza making life difficult so they have no other choice but to defend themselves.
Joint Israeli and Arabs protesting againts the war in Tel Aviv claim: getting rid of Hamas won’t be achieved through war but by giving hope to the hopeless state of livelihood on Gaza.

/end of summary

With Hamas sure to take advantage of urban warfare in areas densely populated by civilians and Israel shells and bombs that does not discriminate between militants and civilians, carnage in Gaza with innocent civilians as the victim could only get much much worse.

Dueling opposite sides of protest in Toronto’s Dundas Square. News video shows pro-Israeli side calling the other side terrorist. I would not be caught in such a rally of being on one or the other side. If there’s a rally against war and against civilian casualties for both sides then let me know. Those two sides seems petty with name calling such as “terrorist” or “child killer”. None of the people in the rally have direct control of what is going on there. These name callings are only playing into the hands of those who thirst for war. It promotes hates and divisions. It’s a step backwards from civil society to human’s basic beast instinct practiced by barbarian and savages.

People under attack resort to extremism. Developed countries like America is no exception. After September 11, Americans so easily gave up their civil liberties and readily condone torture in seeking payback for being attacked.

“If we do not end war – war will end us.  Everybody says that, millions of people believe it, and nobody does anything”.  – H.G. Wells

This is 2nd part of a summary on Israel-Gaza conflicts based on television, newspaper and online news sources.

1st part:  Summary of 2009 Israel-Gaza Conflict So Far