(NSI News Source Info) January 10, 2009: Israel is aiming to "create a new security reality in Gaza" through its offensive in the Gaza Strip, even as it seeks a ceasefire agreement that will incorporate a mechanism to monitor arms smuggling to end the operation that began on 27 December 2008.
"The message of this operation is that Israel is willing to respond disproportionately for every rocket coming out of Gaza," a senior defence source told. "We want Hamas to consider this before they will fire again." 
Israel continues to intensify its wide-scale ground assault against the Gaza Strip in an effort to put an end to Hamas rocket attacks against the Jewish State.
Despite initial widespread reluctance within both the military and political establishments to confront Hamas, amid concerns about achieving a decisive outcome, the first two weeks of fighting have wrought substantial destruction on the Hamas governmental infrastructure and its military capabilities.
Two years of extensive training and preparation supported the initial air strikes into Gaza, which have taken substantially into account the lessons learned from the 2006 conflict in Lebanon with the militant Hizbullah organisation.
The level of co-operation between air and ground forces, with the Israel Air Force (IAF) almost serving as the operational front line, is unparalleled, intelligence sources said. Further, the Israel Defense Force (IDF) has deployed its entire alignment of intelligence-gathering sensors to ensure accuracy.
Intelligence gathered with the assistance of the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank enabled the surprise opening strike on 27 December.
A second, land-based phase of Operation 'Cast Lead' began on 3 January in support of three objectives: to prevent rocket fire in the area of operation; to eliminate as many Hamas operatives as possible; and to capture Hamas prisoners.
Israel continues to intensify its wide-scale ground assault against the Gaza Strip in an effort to put an end to Hamas rocket attacks against the Jewish State.
Despite initial widespread reluctance within both the military and political establishments to confront Hamas, amid concerns about achieving a decisive outcome, the first two weeks of fighting have wrought substantial destruction on the Hamas governmental infrastructure and its military capabilities.
Two years of extensive training and preparation supported the initial air strikes into Gaza, which have taken substantially into account the lessons learned from the 2006 conflict in Lebanon with the militant Hizbullah organisation.
The level of co-operation between air and ground forces, with the Israel Air Force (IAF) almost serving as the operational front line, is unparalleled, intelligence sources said. Further, the Israel Defense Force (IDF) has deployed its entire alignment of intelligence-gathering sensors to ensure accuracy.
Intelligence gathered with the assistance of the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank enabled the surprise opening strike on 27 December.
A second, land-based phase of Operation 'Cast Lead' began on 3 January in support of three objectives: to prevent rocket fire in the area of operation; to eliminate as many Hamas operatives as possible; and to capture Hamas prisoners. Additional Info: Related Topic
Overnight Strikes Target Hamas Fighters, IDF Says
(NSI News Source Info) CNN - January 10, 2009: The Israeli military said it carried out air attacks on 40 targets in Gaza and killed 15 Hamas fighters in battles overnight and Saturday morning.
Smoke rises Saturday over Gaza City from artillery strikes.
Five Israeli soldiers were "lightly wounded," the Israel Defense Forces said Saturday. Five rockets launched from Gaza landed in Israel on Saturday morning, the IDF added.
A CNN crew witnessed a Qassam rocket hitting near a fuel station in Sderot, about 3 km (2 miles) from the Gaza border, Saturday morning. The impact left a crater two meters wide in a heavily traveled road, but no vehicles were hit and no one was hurt.
Palestinian medical sources said at least 800 people have been killed in Gaza since the Israeli offensive began two weeks ago.
The dead include 235 children, 90 women and 12 medics, the sources said. Another 3,225 people have been wounded, they said. Thirteen Israelis, including 10 soldiers, have died in the fighting.
U.N. soldiers on Thursday inspect the site in Lebanon thought to be the source of rockets fired into Israel. Lebanon's prime minister condemned the firing of rockets into northern Israel after an attack wounded two Israelis on Thursday. He said his government is trying to determine who was responsible.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Israel was disregarding the U.N. vote because the resolution will not be heeded by "murderous" Palestinian groups. The firing of rockets from Gaza into southern Israel on Friday, he said, "proves the U.N. resolution is not practical."
"The state of Israel has never agreed that any outside body would determine its right to defend the security of its citizens. The [Israel Defense Forces] will continue operations in order to defend Israeli citizens and will carry out the missions with which it has been assigned in the operation," Olmert said.
The Cabinet also decided to continue humanitarian activity in Gaza and keep up efforts "to prevent the smuggling of war materiel into the Gaza Strip."
The Cabinet was briefed on meetings that Israeli Maj. Gen. Amos Gilad had with Egyptian officials over a proposed Egyptian-French truce plan.
Hamas also rejected the resolution, the Paris, France, daily newspaper Le Figaro reported.
The resolution "does not serve our interests nor that of the people of Palestine," said Hamas official Raafat Morra, speaking from Lebanon. "It does not take into account the aspirations and the principal objectives of the Palestinian people."
Israel has repeatedly defended its offensive, which it says is meant to stop Hamas militants from continuing to use the territory to lob rockets into southern Israel.
The Security Council called overwhelmingly for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza late Thursday, expressing "grave concern" at a mounting humanitarian crisis and heavy civilian casualties in the Palestinian territory.
Fourteen of the council's 15 members voted in favor of Resolution 1860, with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice abstaining from the vote on behalf of the United States. Rice said the United States prefers to wait on the results of ongoing Egyptian-brokered talks in Cairo between Israeli and Palestinian leaders. Watch why U.S. abstained from Security Council vote » (Click to watch video)
The resolution "stresses the urgency of, and calls for, an immediate, durable and fully respected cease-fire which will lead to the full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza."
Although the resolution does not mention Hamas by name, it does condemn "all violence and hostilities directed against civilians and all acts of terrorism."
A resolution from the council, particularly one that passes with such large support, can put international pressure on parties involved in a conflict. But they are in no way binding, and many in the past have been ignored by warring factions.
The IDF said aircraft attacked more than 70 targets in Gaza identified as terrorist sites as Israel's offensive against Hamas stretched into its 14th day. Watch an ambassador denounce Hamas attacks » (Click to watch video)
The IDF said its ground forces found a "rigged house containing a number of land mines" and struck "terror operatives who fired anti-tank rockets at them."
"In addition, the house used by terrorists that shot and killed Sgt. Amit Robinson yesterday was shot at by IDF forces today," the military said. The 70 targets included 20 "terror operatives," rocket launching areas, three houses of Hamas operatives that had been used to store weapons, two weapons smuggling tunnels and "a vehicle with armed terror operatives."
In another attack, Israeli helicopters obliterated the house of a Hamas military commander in northern Gaza City on Friday, sources in the Hamas movement said.
Aqsa TV identified the man as Abu Farouk Dababesh. The Hamas sources said Dababesh's house was among 15 houses targeted by Israel on Friday.
Palestinian medical sources said 22 Palestinians were killed Friday.
The IDF said its missiles hit five Gaza sites where Hamas was launching rockets into Israel Friday morning, including one that was adjacent to a mosque.
The Israeli military said more than 30 rockets from Gaza landed in southern Israel on Friday, including two Grad missiles that fell on Beer Sheva. Two rockets hit Ashkelon and one landed at Ashdod. No damage or injuries were reported, the IDF said.
Israel took steps before Friday prayers to head off any possible violence in Jerusalem. West Bank entries into Israel have been halted through Saturday night and men younger than 50 were banned from entering Jerusalem mosques.
Also Friday, the U.N. said it would resume its suspended aid operations in Gaza.
The U.N. Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees suspended food delivery operations Thursday to 750,000 Palestinian refugees after strikes by Israel killed one of its drivers and wounded another. The U.N. said the aid workers "had received Israeli clearance."
U.N. soldiers on Thursday inspect the site in Lebanon thought to be the source of rockets fired into Israel. Lebanon's prime minister condemned the firing of rockets into northern Israel after an attack wounded two Israelis on Thursday. He said his government is trying to determine who was responsible.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Israel was disregarding the U.N. vote because the resolution will not be heeded by "murderous" Palestinian groups. The firing of rockets from Gaza into southern Israel on Friday, he said, "proves the U.N. resolution is not practical."
"The state of Israel has never agreed that any outside body would determine its right to defend the security of its citizens. The [Israel Defense Forces] will continue operations in order to defend Israeli citizens and will carry out the missions with which it has been assigned in the operation," Olmert said.
The Cabinet also decided to continue humanitarian activity in Gaza and keep up efforts "to prevent the smuggling of war materiel into the Gaza Strip."
The Cabinet was briefed on meetings that Israeli Maj. Gen. Amos Gilad had with Egyptian officials over a proposed Egyptian-French truce plan.
Hamas also rejected the resolution, the Paris, France, daily newspaper Le Figaro reported.
The resolution "does not serve our interests nor that of the people of Palestine," said Hamas official Raafat Morra, speaking from Lebanon. "It does not take into account the aspirations and the principal objectives of the Palestinian people."
Israel has repeatedly defended its offensive, which it says is meant to stop Hamas militants from continuing to use the territory to lob rockets into southern Israel.
The Security Council called overwhelmingly for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza late Thursday, expressing "grave concern" at a mounting humanitarian crisis and heavy civilian casualties in the Palestinian territory.
Fourteen of the council's 15 members voted in favor of Resolution 1860, with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice abstaining from the vote on behalf of the United States. Rice said the United States prefers to wait on the results of ongoing Egyptian-brokered talks in Cairo between Israeli and Palestinian leaders. Watch why U.S. abstained from Security Council vote » (Click to watch video)
The resolution "stresses the urgency of, and calls for, an immediate, durable and fully respected cease-fire which will lead to the full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza."
Although the resolution does not mention Hamas by name, it does condemn "all violence and hostilities directed against civilians and all acts of terrorism."
A resolution from the council, particularly one that passes with such large support, can put international pressure on parties involved in a conflict. But they are in no way binding, and many in the past have been ignored by warring factions.
The IDF said aircraft attacked more than 70 targets in Gaza identified as terrorist sites as Israel's offensive against Hamas stretched into its 14th day. Watch an ambassador denounce Hamas attacks » (Click to watch video)
The IDF said its ground forces found a "rigged house containing a number of land mines" and struck "terror operatives who fired anti-tank rockets at them."
"In addition, the house used by terrorists that shot and killed Sgt. Amit Robinson yesterday was shot at by IDF forces today," the military said. The 70 targets included 20 "terror operatives," rocket launching areas, three houses of Hamas operatives that had been used to store weapons, two weapons smuggling tunnels and "a vehicle with armed terror operatives."
In another attack, Israeli helicopters obliterated the house of a Hamas military commander in northern Gaza City on Friday, sources in the Hamas movement said.
Aqsa TV identified the man as Abu Farouk Dababesh. The Hamas sources said Dababesh's house was among 15 houses targeted by Israel on Friday.
Palestinian medical sources said 22 Palestinians were killed Friday.
The IDF said its missiles hit five Gaza sites where Hamas was launching rockets into Israel Friday morning, including one that was adjacent to a mosque.
The Israeli military said more than 30 rockets from Gaza landed in southern Israel on Friday, including two Grad missiles that fell on Beer Sheva. Two rockets hit Ashkelon and one landed at Ashdod. No damage or injuries were reported, the IDF said.
Israel took steps before Friday prayers to head off any possible violence in Jerusalem. West Bank entries into Israel have been halted through Saturday night and men younger than 50 were banned from entering Jerusalem mosques.
Also Friday, the U.N. said it would resume its suspended aid operations in Gaza.
The U.N. Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees suspended food delivery operations Thursday to 750,000 Palestinian refugees after strikes by Israel killed one of its drivers and wounded another. The U.N. said the aid workers "had received Israeli clearance." 
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