Israeli Airstrikes against Gaza Continue Through Weekend

After Israeli airstrikes killed over 200 people late last week, attacks continued through the weekend, with a concentrated effort against Hamas targets ramped up considerably on Sunday. The airstrikes pounded smuggling tunnels and a central prison in the area while more tanks and artillery arrived at the Gaza border. There are now rumors that military reservists will also be called up for a potential Israeli ground invasion into the region. As the U.N. Security Council and international leaders call for an end to the violence, Israeli leaders have promised to ratchet up the attacks that have thus far reportedly killed over 290 Palestinians.

The initial air attacks, which came after the end of a six-month cease-fire between Israel and Hamas, were apparently retaliation for the actions of Palestinian militants who, according to the Israeli army, fired more than 300 rockets into southern Israel after the cease fire ended on December 19. Israeli foreign minister Tzipi Livni noted that the launch was also the result of Hamas rulers smuggling weapons into the area and building up what she called "a small army." Livni also noted emphatically that, "Our goal is not to reoccupy the Gaza Strip."

U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad, working as part of a U.N. effort to forge a new cease-fire and open a border crossing to Gaza to allow humanitarian aid efforts, noted, "The key issue here was not to point a finger at Israel. The key issue was to urge all parties to end the violence and address the humanitarian needs of the people of Gaza."