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Last update - 00:23 31/12/2008
IAF unleashes massive strike on Hamas tunnel network near Rafah
By News Agencies
Tags: Israel News, Gaza, Israel 

The Israel Air Force on Tuesday evening unleashed a massive strike on a network of Hamas-dug tunnels in the southern Gaza Strip near the Philadephi Route, according to Palestinian sources.

IAF planes attacked dozens of the tunnels, which Hamas had used to smuggle weapons and militants between Egypt and the Gaza Strip, the army said in a statement.


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The army said that the IAF struck 30 additional targets over the course of Tuesday, including seven Grad and five Qassam rocket launchers, rocket launching cells, rocket launching sites, weapons manufacturing facilities, Hamas outposts and armed terror operatives.

The IAF kept up a relentless string of attacks on the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip on Tuesday, smashing a government complex, security installations and the home of a top militant commander.

According to a Military Intelligence assessment, the air offensive has destroyed a third of the Hamas rocket arsenal, Channel 10 television reported.

Meanwhile, thousands of Israel Defense Forces ground troops, backed by tanks and artillery, massed along the Gaza border and waited for a signal to attack.

More than 380 Palestinians have been killed since the air force began its operation on Saturday, most of them members of Hamas security forces but at least 64 of them civilians, according to UN figures.

Tuesday's death toll included two sisters, aged 4 and 11, who perished in an airstrike on a rocket squad in northern Gaza on Tuesday.

Palestinian witnesses said that Israeli missiles flattened five ministerial buildings and a structure belonging to the Islamic University in Gaza City.

One Israeli attack targeted a house in the Jabaliya refugee camp, killing seven people, but the Hamas activist was not there, Hamas security and relatives said. Another hit the Jabaliya home of Abdel-Karim Jaber, a Hamas political figure who is a senior administrator at Gaza's Islamic University.

He was not at home and it wasn't immediately clear if anyone was hurt in the strike.

In another air assault, an Islamic Jihad commander was killed as he was walking near his house, said Abu Hamza, a spokesman for Islamic Jihad's military wing.

Israel's airstrikes on more than 325 sites since midday Saturday reduced dozens of buildings to rubble, overwhelmed hospitals with wounded and filled Gaza's deserted streets with smoke and fire. The IDF said Israeli naval vessels had also bombarded targets from the sea.

On Monday, aircraft pulverized a house next to the home of Hamas Premier Ismail Haniyeh, a security compound and a five-story building at a university closely linked to the Islamic group - all symbols of Hamas strength in the coastal territory it has ruled since June 2007.

Egypt to treat 11 wounded Palestinians

An Egyptian medical official says 11 Palestinians have been ferried from the border with Gaza to a hospital in the capital Cairo because they are in critical condition.

Ahmed Abdel-Nabi, deputy manager of the Nasser Institute hospital, said
Tuesday that most will require surgery.

Since Israel attacked the Gaza strip with air strikes, killing over 300 people and injuring hundreds more in response to Hamas rocket fire, Egypt has accepted 36 injured Palestinians.

Palestinian health officials said Monday there were at least 150 serious cases in the overburdened Palestinian hospitals.

Most of those accepted are being treated in the 250-bed El-Arish hospital near the Gaza border which lacks sophisticated medical equipment.


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      1.   Nervous? 08:23  |  Star of David 30/12/08
      2.   Adapted rules. 08:40  |  Jean Van Daem 30/12/08
      3.   What would happen if it is the other way 09:27  |  Palestinian 30/12/08
      4.   What H@@retz forgets to mention is the University`s laboratories 10:46  |  Gil 30/12/08
      5.   Mmmm? 10:47  |  Yosemite 30/12/08
      6.   throw rockets at Israel, reap your reward 10:56  |  Theodor 30/12/08
      7.   Count the intentions 11:09  |  manny.b 30/12/08
      8.   The Other Way Around 11:09  |  Macabee 30/12/08
      9.   To Palestinian #3 11:13  |  Proud Israeli 30/12/08
      10.   Cease fire! 11:27  |  Swedish judge 30/12/08
      11.   We are just sick and tired. 11:39  |  observer 30/12/08
      12.   we are tired of dictatorship 11:41  |  observer 30/12/08
      13.   from the athens riots to the street of amman, to gaza 11:43  |  observer 30/12/08
      14.   to Proud Israeli #9 11:56  |  Northern 30/12/08
      15.   Gaza 11:57  |  Avinash 30/12/08
      16.   9 Proud Israel, Re: Hamas` goal... 12:03  |  Dutch 30/12/08
      17.   We are tired of war mongers in Israel and in the US 12:16  |  Dutch 30/12/08
      18.   Democratically elected Hamas 12:41  |  Avinash 30/12/08
      19.   Five sisters killed 13:12  |  Mike 30/12/08
      20.   Palestinian #3 13:16  |  Steve 30/12/08
      21.   #2 13:36  |  David 30/12/08
      22.   What in Heaven`s Name... 13:37  |  Tzfonit 30/12/08
      23.   Hamas has got its wish 13:39  |  thomas 30/12/08
      24.   Northern #9 13:50  |  Proud Israeli 30/12/08
      25.   One More Month of This and The Invasion Can Begin 13:53  |  Baruch Gold 30/12/08
      26.   A Palestinian asked 14:01  |  jackie 30/12/08
      27.   WE ALL HAVE A HEART AND WE ALL BLEED! 14:04  |  JEWISH PRINCESS 30/12/08
      28.   Learn Hebrew, David 14:10  |  Jackie 30/12/08
      29.   In the last 3 days, gazans gave birth to more than 360 that died 18:46  |  Aounist 30/12/08
      30.   Dutch # 17 What Are The Charges? 19:02  |  Jeff Northridge 30/12/08
      31.   Gigurs of dead and what they mean. 19:14  |  Jehudah Ben-Israel 30/12/08
      32.   Proud Israeli 19:18  |  Dave Duncan 30/12/08
      33.   David 19:28  |  Jacob 30/12/08
      34.   Poor, confused Baruch Gold # 25 19:33  |  Clickfool 30/12/08
      35.   To Palestinian #3 19:34  |  George 30/12/08
      36.   Haniyeh must be a target. 19:39  |  David 30/12/08
      37.   Dutch 19:42  |  Rafiq 30/12/08
      38.   David`s Thou Shalt Nots 20:12  |  Douglas Fireman 30/12/08
      39.   Using your home as a terror meeting room 20:21  |  Arie 30/12/08
      40.   We are tired of terrorist cheerleaders and enablers 20:21  |  Harry 30/12/08
      41.   Dave Duncan - erroneaous premise from the outset 20:55  |  ChanahS 30/12/08
      42.   So true #40 20:57  |  Zion above all else 30/12/08
      43.   Jean... Couldn`t have said it better! 21:01  |  mediev 30/12/08
      44.   Justice for the Palestinians 21:30  |  Yamin Salahi 30/12/08
      45.   To Dave Duncan #32 21:35  |  Proud Israeli 30/12/08
      46.   #3 the pals were doing it 21:39  |  Crocodile tears 30/12/08
      47.   316 dead terrorists 21:49  |  Realist 30/12/08
      48.   How many of Natallie Durson`s posts have you deleted, Moderator? 21:51  |  Clickfool 30/12/08
      49.   Islamic University bombed? 21:53  |  Motke 30/12/08
      50.   Tzfonit you are morphing into a CJK--please do not 21:56  |  Labhras 30/12/08
      51.   To Yamin #42 21:58  |  Proud Israeli 30/12/08
      52.   #3 22:18  |  Jane 30/12/08
      53.   3 Gil, So you wish to point out to Haaretz` 22:18  |  Dutch 30/12/08
      54.   #42 22:22  |  Jane 30/12/08
      55.   #12 doris on the same old soapbox giving out her world 22:34  |  v.hardman 30/12/08
      56.   #10 swedish judge thinks hamas are like swedes 22:38  |  v.hardman 30/12/08
      57.   gaza 22:41  |  doug 30/12/08
      58.   To: Dutch 22:41  |  Angel 30/12/08
      59.   To: Dutch, again 22:45  |  Angel 30/12/08
      60.   If the situation was reversed 22:45  |  Ami 30/12/08
      61.   To: Swedish judge 23:18  |  Angel 30/12/08
      62.   Ami 23:19  |  Jane 30/12/08
      63.   Yamin Salahi 23:26  |  Jasper 30/12/08
      64.   The Gaza Strip 23:35  |  Ruth 30/12/08
      65.   #10 from one swede to another 23:43  |  rbn 30/12/08
      66.   Go Israel!!!!!!!!!!!! 23:43  |  Ruth 30/12/08
      67.   Hamas must be removed 23:45  |  Dickie Smith 30/12/08
      68.   `Two sisters...` 23:45  |  Colin Wright 30/12/08
      69.   Angel resorts to yelling. 23:51  |  Gabriel 30/12/08
      70.   #52 Angel here is something we know lots about 00:18  |  Gabriel 31/12/08
      71.   #52 Angel here is something we know lots about 3rd try 00:19  |  Gabriel 31/12/08
      72.   #25, Baruch Gold 3rd TRY.... 00:35  |  Silvienne 31/12/08
      73.   what part of dont fire rockets into Israel dont you understand? 01:35  |  Dan 31/12/08
      74.   Duct, we are tired of your rockets. (period) 01:39  |  Dan 31/12/08
      75.   Duct`s counry bombed 11000 civilians in Kosove in 5 days 01:42  |  Dan 31/12/08
      76.   Avanish 03:10  |  e.a. 31/12/08
      77.   RE Video: "...our babies are crying..." 03:45  |  Nules Thudd 31/12/08
      78.   Rational vs. Irrational 04:41  |  Frank 31/12/08
      79.   Hamas hides among civilians 04:42  |  J. Adams 31/12/08
      80.   What happened? 04:46  |  Tom 31/12/08
      81.   gaza 04:53  |  carl l showalter 31/12/08
      82.   Israels Attack on Hamas 06:29  |  Jim 31/12/08
      83.   Rockets from the other side 06:30  |  BigArch 31/12/08
      84.   Rockets from the other side 06:33  |  BigArch 31/12/08
      85.   To Northern 07:00  |  MickS 31/12/08
      86.   I`m tired of it, too 07:46  |  bill 31/12/08
      87.   Do not stop 10:52  |  Steve Drury 31/12/08
      88.   remove the infestation 14:05  |  bud 31/12/08
      89.   Impressive IAF! 15:16  |  Alicia 31/12/08
      90.   DUTCH; if you care for Gazans` lives demand Hamas`s surrender 15:18  |  Alicia 31/12/08
      91.   #1o Swedish Judge; do you think it is possible to deal with Hamas 15:23  |  Alicia 31/12/08
      92.   Brotherly love 15:27  |  lynn 31/12/08
      93.   Lemmings 16:18  |  bored of this 31/12/08
      94.   Can we trust this "news" 16:56  |  Hormel 31/12/08
      95.   Measured Response 17:10  |  Ray 31/12/08
      96.   Notice the Arabs position against Palistine? 17:15  |  Watchfull 31/12/08
      97.   To Alicia 17:31  |  Swedish judge 31/12/08
      98.   to rbn 17:35  |  Swedish judge 31/12/08
      99.   attacks on Hamas 17:44  |  Brian Blanford 31/12/08
      100.   Measured Response You Are Kidding 17:53  |  AFSGTSAM 31/12/08
      101.   This would happen 18:10  |  abdul 31/12/08
      102.   Speculation 18:14  |  TK 31/12/08
      103.   Yeah Israel 18:54  |  Bryan 31/12/08
      104.   War Mongers? 19:22  |  Taylor 31/12/08
      105.   Also 19:35  |  Taylor 31/12/08
      106.   Go IAF!! 19:59  |  Gift of the Maji 31/12/08
      107.   About time 19:59  |  US Army Specialist 31/12/08
      108.   GOOD LUCK 20:10  |  Mark 31/12/08
      109.   What Happens When You Elect Terrorsists 20:18  |  Rahab 31/12/08
      110.   my thoughts with Israel 20:23  |  Eric 31/12/08
      111.   Hamas got what it deserves 20:38  |  John Lynch 31/12/08
      112.   IDF 20:42  |  quentin smith 31/12/08
      113.   Israel`s Offensive 22:50  |  Rich 31/12/08
      114.   Isreal supporter 22:52  |  Bob 31/12/08
      115.   Hamas Purpose 00:25  |  Firefyte 01/01/09
      116.   # 103 Bryan not too surprising 15:41  |  Petra 03/01/09
      117.   Stop this madness 09:41  |  Alan Leventhal 04/01/09
      118.   Re #18 00:04  |  By stander 06/01/09
      119.   Nervous? 18:17  |  jaime 08/01/09
      120.   repond 12:50  |  hasser 10/01/09
     Read & React
    Legal expert: Rising Gaza death toll doesn't mean IDF acts are disproportionate
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    Sources: Hamas leaders hiding in basement of Israel-built hospital in Gaza
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    IDF: Hamas rocket fire down 50% since start of Gaza op
    Responses: 24
    Gideon Levy: Israel's leaders will pay for the bloodshed in Gaza
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    Aluf Benn: Israel has a double standard when it comes to UN resolutions
    Responses: 22


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