Salem-News.com Gaza articles

US and UN Seek Peace as Gaza Death Toll Hits 500

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry arrived in Cairo to try to secure an end to hostilities, a day after he was caught by an open microphone saying sarcastically that the Israeli assault was "a hell of a pinpoint operation".

(JERUSALEM) - The United States, alarmed by escalating civilian bloodshed in an Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip, took a direct role in efforts to secure a ceasefire on Monday, as the Palestinian death toll jumped to more than 500.

Despite growing calls for a halt to two weeks of fighting, violence raged on. Israel pounded the coastal strip, killing 28 members of a family in one strike, 11 people in an attack on a high-rise building and four in the shelling of a hospital, medics said.

Hamas Captures Israeli Soldier; Death Toll Continues to Climb

The Shifa hospital director, Naser Tattar, said 17 children, 14 women and four elderly were among 62 Palestinians killed, and about 400 people were wounded in the Israeli assault.

(JERUSALEM) - Hamas's armed wing said on Sunday it had captured an Israeli soldier, as fighting in Gaza led to the bloodiest losses in a nearly two-week military offensive, with some 100 Palestinians and 13 Israeli soldiers killed.

The Israeli military said it was checking on the reported capture, which was announced in a Hamas television broadcast. Israeli television stations ignored the report in their extended evening programing about the offensive.

300 Killed in Gaza as Israeli Tanks Dig In

Egypt has no plans to revise its ceasefire proposal, which Hamas has rejected, Cairo's foreign minister said on Saturday.

(GAZA CITY) - Israeli tanks and bulldozers dug in across a mile-wide strip of Gaza's eastern frontier on Saturday, and Palestinian officials said military strikes had killed more than 300 people, most of them civilians.

Israel sent in ground forces on Thursday after 10 days of air and naval barrages failed to stop rocket fire from Gaza. Gaza medical officials said the attacks from Israel on Saturday killed 33 people, mostly civilians, in Beit Hanoun, neighboring Beit Lahiya and in Khan Younis in the south.

Deadly Fighting in Gaza Continues as Death Toll Rises

Fawzi Barhoum said, "the resistance will confront the Israeli ground invasion and will defend the people of Gaza."

(GAZA CITY) - Deadly clashes broke out after Israeli tanks drove into Gaza and launched a ground operation that escalates the conflict with Hamas.

The incursion Thursday night follows 10 days of Israeli bombardment of Gaza that has killed more than 200 people.

Israeli Ground Forces Moving into Gaza Strip

Prior to the commencement of the ground invasion, the IDF launched a massive wave of combined air and artillery strikes on Thursday night.

(TEL AVIV) - Israeli Defense ground forces began to move into the Gaza Strip on Thursday evening, the prime minister's office confirmed.

“In light of Hamas' continuous criminal aggression, and the dangerous infiltration into Israeli territory, Israel is obligated to act in defense of its citizens,” a statement from Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's office said.

Israel, Hamas Keep Fighting as Ceasefire Agreement Falls Apart

In overnight attacks, Israel said it had bombed 25 sites in Gaza.

(JERUSALEM) - The Israeli military says it has resumed airstrikes on Gaza after Hamas militants violated a de-escalation brokered by Egypt.

Military spokesman Lt. Col. Peter Lerner says that after holding its fire for six hours Israel has "resumed operational activities." The military says that during the six hours Gaza militants fired about 50 rockets all over Israel. No injuries were reported.

Israel Agrees to Ceasefire; Hamas Quickly Rejects It

The security cabinet also decided to launch an international campaign aimed at dismantling Hamas' rocket stockpiles, and closing the tunnels inside Gaza.

(TEL AVIV, Isreal ) - The Israeli Security Cabinet on Tuesday morning has accepted the Egyptian proposal for a ceasefire that, from Israel's perspective, went into effect at 9:00 a.m.

Diplomatic officials said the security cabinet's decision to halt the operation at this point will give Israel international legitimacy to continue it widespread military action if Hamas does not stop its rocket attacks.

U.S., Israel Trying to Ward Off UN Condemnation of Gaza Air Strikes

Secretary of State John Kerry said that the U.S. is trying to stem the surging violence in Israel and Gaza.

(NEW YORK) - Jerusalem and Washington are trying to prevent the UN Security Council from condemning Israel’s air offensive in the Gaza Strip, in which dozens of Palestinian civilians have been killed, Israeli diplomats said Thursday. The Security Council is due to meet at 9:00 a.m. EST time to discuss the fighting between Israel and Hamas.

On Wednesday delegates from Muslim countries met with Rwanda’s ambassador, who currently holds the Security Council’s rotating presidency. The delegates were granted their request for an emergency meeting on the escalation in Gaza, part of which will be open.

Gaza: Where Cemeteries Serve the Living

Welcome to Baraka City --Gaza

(SALEM / GAZA) - Most people know about the suffering in Gaza, or do they? Israeli propaganda groups like to send out photos of shopping malls with happy people and claim they are from Gaza, and God knows people of Gaza deserve what everyone else has, but I would bet my life on the fact that a very tiny percentage of Gazans ever actually go to a mall.

But they do go to their graves.

Act for Human Rights

In my talks, I emphasize that people must wake up and push politicians to do the right thing. That is how history changes...

(BETHLEHEM) - People asked me about the latest "reconciliation" agreement between Fatah and Hamas. Most Palestinians here are skeptical of the sincerity of leadership in Fatah and Hamas and most still think these leaders are driven by narrow factional and personal interests than by interest of Palestine.

Noticeably absent was the popular Front For the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), the largest secular faction after Fatah. Women leaders also complained about the exclusion of women voices.