GAZA....THE WAR

Smoke billows from Israeli artillery shells exploding over the northern Gaza Strip on January 12, 2009 as seen from the Israel-Gaza border. Israeli warplanes struck some 12 targets in Gaza overnight on Monday, the army said, marking the lowest level of night-time bombing in Israel’s 17-day-old war on Hamas. AFP PHOTO/Menahem KAHANA (Photo credit should read MENAHEM KAHANA/AFP/Getty Images)

GAZA BORDER, ISRAEL - JANUARY 12: An Israeli army mortar team fires mortar shells into the Gaza Strip in support of troops fighting against Hamas fighters January 12, 2009 from a field on Israel’s border with the Palestinian fighter. Israel is intensifying its wide-scale ground assault against the Gaza Strip in an effort to put an end to Hamas rocket attacks against the Jewish State. (Photo by David Silverman/Getty Images)

Smoke rises during Israel’s offensive in the northern Gaza Strip January 12, 2009. Israeli troops fought fierce gun battles with Hamas fighters on Monday, keeping military pressure on the Islamist group while avoiding all-out urban warfare that would complicate ongoing diplomatic efforts to end the Gaza war. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun (GAZA)

A Palestinian (L) man holds a white flag as he flees with other families the Zeitun district of Gaza City after Israeli strikes on January 12, 2009. Israeli troops clashed with Hamas fighters on Monday across the Gaza Strip after the Jewish state poured reserve troops into the territory and ceasefire talks plodded on in Egypt. Israeli warplanes struck some 12 targets in Gaza overnight, the army said, marking the lowest level of night-time bombing of Israel’s deadliest offensive in the Palestinian enclave launched in response to rocket fire. AFP PHOTO/MAHMUD HAMS (Photo credit should read MAHMUD HAMS/AFP/Getty Images)

A Palestinian woman reacts after an Israeli air strike in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip January 12, 2009. Israeli troops fought fierce gun battles with Hamas fighters on Monday, keeping military pressure on the Islamist group while avoiding all-out urban warfare that would complicate ongoing diplomatic efforts to end the Gaza war. REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa (GAZA)

A wounded Palestinian is brought into Shifa hospital during Israel’s offensive in Gaza January 12, 2009. Israeli troops fought fierce gun battles with Hamas fighters on Monday, keeping military pressure on the Islamist group while avoiding all-out urban warfare that would complicate ongoing diplomatic efforts to end the Gaza war. REUTERS/Ismail Zaydah (GAZA)

Loay Soboh, a 10-year-old Palestinian boy, waves at Shifa hospital in Gaza before his transfer to Saudi Arabia for treatment January 12, 2009. According to doctors, Soboh lost his eyes in an Israeli air strike. Israeli troops fought fierce gun battles with Hamas fighters on Monday, keeping military pressure on the Islamist group while avoiding all-out urban warfare that would complicate ongoing diplomatic efforts to end the Gaza war. REUTERS/Ismail Zaydah (GAZA)

Palestinian men pull a man injured in the Zeitun district of Gaza City following Israeli strikes on January 12, 2009. Israeli troops clashed with Hamas fighters on today across the Gaza Strip after the Jewish state poured reserve troops into the territory and ceasefire talks plodded on in Egypt. Israeli warplanes struck some 12 targets in Gaza overnight, the army said, marking the lowest level of night-time bombing of Israel’s deadliest offensive in the Palestinian enclave launched in response to rocket fire. AFP PHOTO /MAHMUD HAMS (Photo credit should read MAHMUD HAMS/AFP/Getty Images)

Israel kerah askar simpanan ke Gaza,Angka Kematian Mencecah 900 Orang

GAZA: Pemimpin Israel mengerah askar simpanan ke Semenanjung Gaza dalam usaha melumpuhkan pejuang Hamas yang masih dapat bertahan walaupun selepas 17 hari serangan dilancarkan.

Dengan angka korban rakyat Palestin menghampiri 900 orang dan tekanan supaya diadakan gencatan senjata oleh masyarakat antarabangsa semakin meningkat, tentera Israel mungkin melancarkan serangan besar-besaran terhadap terowong di sempadan Mesir dan operasi di kawasan bandar.

Media Israel melaporkan Perdana Menteri Israel, Ehud Olmert; Menteri Pertahanan, Ehud Barak, dan Menteri Luar, Tzipi Livni, bertemu semalam dan memutuskan untuk meningkatkan tekanan terhadap Hamas.

Livni memberitahu Radio Tentera serangan Gaza sudah “mengembalikan keupayaan pencegahan Israel” dan “mewujudkan peraturan baru…yang menyatakan bahawa apabila rakyat kita diserang, kita akan membalas dengan kekerasan.”

Bagaimanapun, beliau enggan menyatakan bila Israel akan menamatkan serangan.

Sementara itu, askar simpanan Israel memasuki Gaza semalam ketika pertempuran di Gaza semakin sengit, tanpa mengendahkan gesaan Majlis Keselamatan PBB supaya diadakan gencatan senjata.

Langkah mengerah askar simpanan itu meningkatkan kemungkinan pertambahan angka korban di pihak Israel dan juga kalangan 1.5 juta rakyat Palestin yang mendiami Gaza.

Angka kematian rakyat Palestin sejak serangan ganas Israel pada 27 Disember tahun lalu kini mencecah 890 orang manakala 3,000 lagi cedera.

Di pihak Israel pula, 13 orang, termasuk 10 askar, dilaporkan terbunuh.