Israel’s air force has bombarded the Gaza Strip for three full days. The country’s defense minister is calling it “a war to the bitter end” against Hamas, the Palestinian militant movement that has ruled Gaza for two years and whose charter calls for Israel’s destruction.
Israel says it is not at war with the people of Gaza but with the Hamas leadership, and that its operation will be “widened and deepened as needed.” Israeli forces have built up along the border.
The Arab world has reacted strongly to the Gaza offensive. Syria has suspended indirect peace talks with Israel. Egypt, while condemning the Israeli assault, has also come under fire from some Arabs and Muslims for its links with Israel, including efforts to extend a six-month cease fire in recent weeks.
For more on the violence in Gaza, see our interview with Israel’s ambassador to the United States, Sallai Meridor.
Worldfocus speaks with experts on the ground in Gaza and elsewhere about the escalating situation.
Matt Rees, GlobalPost correspondent in Jerusalem
Alon Ben-David, defense correspondent with Channel 10 News in Israel
Fawzi Barhoum, a spokesman for Hamas in Gaza City
Hasan Khalaf, the director general of al-Shifa hospital in Gaza





01/02/2009 :: 09:30:32 PM
Angel Says:
Braindead (AnnJello) and Matt,
Are you two married? Your speculations about who am I are very entertaining, but in the process you two clowns completely miss the central issue, which is to condemn terrorism without any conditions. If you are incapable of taking that elementary step, whatever you may have to say is of no value and is to be ignored. Interestingly enough, while spending an inordinate amount of time trying childishly to figure out my group identity, you have not been able to come up with one single argument to counter mine. Proof is here again that if you can’t express yourself in a cogent and fair way, you’re much better shutting up, lest you appear as the braying morons that you are. With that, I am done wasting my time with idiots of your caliber and I bid you adieu. I have better things to do with far more intelligent and worthy people.