Israel recruits soldiers to prepare for ground warfare and expand the scale of attack (Figure)

Special topic: Israeli army’s large-scale air raid on Gaza Strip.

Wounded Gaza child in father’s arms.

On December 28, smoke billowed from a place in the Gaza that was attacked by Israeli troops.

　　For the second day in a row, a large-scale air strike was carried out in Gaza, and more than 1,000 people were killed or injured in 250 bombings.

　　Israel recruits soldiers to prepare for ground war.

　　Comprehensive Xinhua News Agency report

　　Israeli warplanes attacked Gaza for the second consecutive day on the 28th, targeting security facilities, religious sites and television stations. The death toll in Gaza rose to 285. Israel has mobilized reserve soldiers at present, and military operations may continue. The international community stepped up mediation efforts that day, and the United Nations called for an immediate ceasefire. Egyptian officials and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas discussed how to stop the escalation of violence in Gaza.

　　Gaza residents try to stay at home.

　　After launching air strikes against Gaza’s security facilities on the first day, the Israeli army expanded the bombing scope on the 28th. The most obvious target of the bombing that day was a prison in Gaza, killing at least four people and injuring 25 others.

　　The bombing severely damaged this facility, and some prisoners held in it took the opportunity to escape, and some of them were taken back by the police of the Palestinian Islamic Resistance (Hamas), which controlled the Gaza Strip.

　　Minutes after the bombing, Hamas police inserted the organization’s green flag back into the ruins of the building.

　　Earlier, Israeli warplanes bombed a mosque next to the main hospital in Gaza. This mosque is a shelter for armed men.

　　The Hamas TV station in Gaza was also bombed that day, but the TV station was still broadcasting programs by using mobile transmission equipment.

　　In addition, the Israeli army also blew up an oil tanker in the southern part of the Gaza, causing a fire, and more than ten houses were damaged by fish in the pond. A warehouse storing medicines was also attacked.

　　In Gaza, residents try to stay at home, and only a few people are waiting in line to buy food on the street.

　　Hamas police put coats on their black uniforms and walked as close as possible to the wall to avoid being seen by Israeli pilots in the air.

　　By the 28th, Israel had launched about 250 attacks on the Gaza in the past 24 hours. Moeya Hassanain, a health official in Gaza, said that the air strikes killed at least 285 people, including more than 190 policemen in Hamas. More than 900 people were injured.

　　The Israeli army will also expand the scale of the attack.

　　The Israeli cabinet held a meeting on the 28th and decided to mobilize more reservists. At the same time, the Israeli government and military announced that they would expand the scope of attack, and ground attack was also one of the options.

　　Aved Yehezkel, cabinet secretary of Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, said after the cabinet meeting that it was decided that Israel would mobilize more reservists in the next few days. He didn’t specify how many people would be mobilized.

　　Agence France-Presse reported that a senior Israeli official, who asked not to be named, would mobilize 6,500 reservists.

　　Before the meeting, Israeli Defense Minister ehud barak said that the Israeli army would expand the scale of the attack. He said that if necessary, ground troops will be sent.

　　At the cabinet meeting, Olmert told the cabinet members that the attack on the Gaza would be "long, painful and difficult" and Israel would face the pressure from the international community.

　　Following the rocket that killed an Israeli the day before, Israeli militants continued to fire rockets into southern Hamas on the 28th, and the farthest rocket hit near Ashdod, 38km away from Gaza.

　　This is the farthest rocket attack by Pakistani militants. There are no reports of casualties caused by the attack.

　　Abbas went to Egypt to promote peace through diplomacy.

　　Mahmoud Abbas, President of the Palestinian National Authority, went to Egypt on 28th to discuss with Egypt what the League of Arab States can do to stop Israeli air strikes.

　　Egyptian Foreign Minister ahmed ali abul gheit said that the Arab League will hold a meeting of foreign ministers on the 31st of this month, and it is expected that a plan will be adopted to urge Hamas to renew the peace agreement with Israel.

　　Israeli and Hamas-dominated armed factions in Gaza reached a ceasefire agreement in June this year. After the ceasefire agreement expired on December 19, the two sides did not renew it. Hamas then fired about 100 rockets and mortars into Israel, causing no Israeli casualties.

　　Abbas leads the Palestinian National Liberation Movement (Fatah) which controls the West Bank.

　　He said in Egypt on 28th that before the ceasefire expired, Fatah called on Hamas to renew the agreement, but failed. He believes that if the ceasefire agreement is renewed, the Palestinian side will not be attacked by Israel.

　　[Reaction from all sides]

　　China opposes the use of force.

　　On the 27th, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Qin Gang answered a reporter’s question on the current situation in Gaza. Qin Gang said: China is seriously concerned about the escalation of tension in Gaza due to the Israeli military action in Gaza. China condemns acts that cause civilian casualties, opposes the use of force to resolve disputes, and calls on relevant parties to exercise utmost restraint and resolve their differences through dialogue.

　　The Council called for an immediate ceasefire.

　　In response to Israeli air strikes in Gaza, the UN Security Council held an emergency meeting at around 22: 00 on the evening of 27th. The meeting ended in the early morning of the 28th, and issued a statement drafted by the Russian side, calling on both sides to immediately stop the violent conflict.

　　The United States and Britain refused to call for a ceasefire.

　　According to the British "Sunday Times" report, after Israel’s air raid on Gaza on December 27th, both the United States and Britain refused to call on Israel to stop its military action against Gaza.

　　The largest air strike launched by the Israeli army on the Gaza in decades indicates the complete failure of US President Bush’s peace mediation efforts in the Middle East. After the air raid, the White House accused Hamas of provoking Israel to retaliate.

Editor: Wang Xu