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| Death Toll Rises in Gaza, as Hamas Hits New Targets in Israel | Death Toll Rises in Gaza, as Hamas Hits New Targets in Israel |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| JERUSALEM — The death toll from Israel’s aerial offensive in Gaza rose on Thursday, while rocket fire from the Palestinian coastal enclave reached new targets in Israel. | JERUSALEM — The death toll from Israel’s aerial offensive in Gaza rose on Thursday, while rocket fire from the Palestinian coastal enclave reached new targets in Israel. |
| A spokesman for the Israeli military said that about 20,000 reservists had been called up and preparations for a possible ground operation were being completed, but that the current focus of the ground forces was to uncover tunnels in Gaza used by militants for attacks. | |
| As the air campaign entered its third day, the Palestinian death toll rose to at least 78, according to officials in Gaza. Airstrikes overnight on a house in Khan Younis and a cafeteria on the beach killed at least 15 Palestinians, Gazan officials said. According to the officials, one airstrike hit a car used by a local news agency bearing media signs, killing the driver, Hamed Shehab, 27. The Israeli military said it had also hit three Islamic Jihad operatives that it said were involved in manufacturing medium-range rockets. In another strike, the military said it had hit an operative for Hamas, the Islamic militant group that dominates Gaza, saying he was involved in firing rockets against Israel. | As the air campaign entered its third day, the Palestinian death toll rose to at least 78, according to officials in Gaza. Airstrikes overnight on a house in Khan Younis and a cafeteria on the beach killed at least 15 Palestinians, Gazan officials said. According to the officials, one airstrike hit a car used by a local news agency bearing media signs, killing the driver, Hamed Shehab, 27. The Israeli military said it had also hit three Islamic Jihad operatives that it said were involved in manufacturing medium-range rockets. In another strike, the military said it had hit an operative for Hamas, the Islamic militant group that dominates Gaza, saying he was involved in firing rockets against Israel. |
| The Palestine chapter of Defense for Children International, an independent child rights organization, said 14 children age 15 and under were killed in the airstrikes on Tuesday and Wednesday, including four toddlers. The group issued a list with the names and ages of those killed, saying its Gaza-based fieldworker had verified each of those deaths. | The Palestine chapter of Defense for Children International, an independent child rights organization, said 14 children age 15 and under were killed in the airstrikes on Tuesday and Wednesday, including four toddlers. The group issued a list with the names and ages of those killed, saying its Gaza-based fieldworker had verified each of those deaths. |
| Israel says it is taking precautions in an effort to avoid civilian casualties. The military says it warns the occupants of houses marked for destruction that airstrikes are coming by phoning residents then firing a flare or a missile without an explosive warhead onto the roof to warn that an attack is imminent. | Israel says it is taking precautions in an effort to avoid civilian casualties. The military says it warns the occupants of houses marked for destruction that airstrikes are coming by phoning residents then firing a flare or a missile without an explosive warhead onto the roof to warn that an attack is imminent. |
| In one case, when seven people died and 25 were wounded in the Israeli strike on the house of the Kaware family in Khan Younis on Tuesday, Lt. Col. Peter Lerner, a spokesman for the Israeli military, said that the warnings had been given, and that the attack had commenced after the Israelis saw people vacating the premises. In the short time between the last warning and the airstrike, people went back in, Colonel Lerner told reporters on Thursday, adding that it was too late to cancel the missile. “It is a tragedy indeed and not what we intended,” he said. | |
| A member of the family said earlier that neighbors had come in to “form a human shield.” | A member of the family said earlier that neighbors had come in to “form a human shield.” |
| The Israeli military said that the targeted houses belonged to Hamas members involved in launching rockets or other military activity, and that they had been used as operation centers. | The Israeli military said that the targeted houses belonged to Hamas members involved in launching rockets or other military activity, and that they had been used as operation centers. |
| Colonel Lerner said he did not have details yet on the circumstances of the bombing of the beach cafe, called Fun Time, where customers had gathered to watch a World Cup game. He said he also did not have details on the attack on the vehicle marked with media signs. | Colonel Lerner said he did not have details yet on the circumstances of the bombing of the beach cafe, called Fun Time, where customers had gathered to watch a World Cup game. He said he also did not have details on the attack on the vehicle marked with media signs. |
| In Gaza, the mood was somber but defiant. Abu Tamer Ajour, 70, said the conflict had come at a bad time, with Hamas financially squeezed and unable to pay full salaries to its 40,000 employees, among other hardships. “This aggression makes matters worse,” he said, “but victory will be for the Gaza people and our resistance.” | In Gaza, the mood was somber but defiant. Abu Tamer Ajour, 70, said the conflict had come at a bad time, with Hamas financially squeezed and unable to pay full salaries to its 40,000 employees, among other hardships. “This aggression makes matters worse,” he said, “but victory will be for the Gaza people and our resistance.” |
| Riad Fawzi, 48, who is jobless, said he did not expect the clashes to last for long. “The Jews are not interested in more escalation,” he said, referring to Israel. | Riad Fawzi, 48, who is jobless, said he did not expect the clashes to last for long. “The Jews are not interested in more escalation,” he said, referring to Israel. |
| “We are used to this thing, but they cannot endure the same way we endure,” he said, adding, “Allah is with us.” | “We are used to this thing, but they cannot endure the same way we endure,” he said, adding, “Allah is with us.” |
| The current air campaign has been Israel’s most intensive in Gaza. Colonel Lerner said that the Israeli military had struck at least 750 locations in the first 48 hours of the operation, compared with a total of 1,450 locations attacked during eight days of cross-border fighting in November 2012. | The current air campaign has been Israel’s most intensive in Gaza. Colonel Lerner said that the Israeli military had struck at least 750 locations in the first 48 hours of the operation, compared with a total of 1,450 locations attacked during eight days of cross-border fighting in November 2012. |
| “What we are trying to do for now is to take full advantage of the aerial assault,” Colonel Lerner said. “The ground option needs to be the last option and only if absolutely necessary.” | “What we are trying to do for now is to take full advantage of the aerial assault,” Colonel Lerner said. “The ground option needs to be the last option and only if absolutely necessary.” |
| Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel said on Wednesday that “the operation will be expanded and will continue until the firing at our communities stops and quiet is restored.” | Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel said on Wednesday that “the operation will be expanded and will continue until the firing at our communities stops and quiet is restored.” |
| Militant groups in Gaza, which have fired more than 350 rockets into Israel since the operation began in the early hours of Tuesday morning, according to the military, continued their attacks Thursday. At least one rocket was intercepted over Tel Aviv by the Iron Dome missile defense system. Shrapnel rained on the city but caused no injury. | Militant groups in Gaza, which have fired more than 350 rockets into Israel since the operation began in the early hours of Tuesday morning, according to the military, continued their attacks Thursday. At least one rocket was intercepted over Tel Aviv by the Iron Dome missile defense system. Shrapnel rained on the city but caused no injury. |
| The military said at least three more rockets had hit civilian communities in the Negev desert, more than 50 miles from Gaza, and that areas around the town of Netivot were hit. | The military said at least three more rockets had hit civilian communities in the Negev desert, more than 50 miles from Gaza, and that areas around the town of Netivot were hit. |
| At the United Nations Security Council in New York, which called a special session on the crisis at the Palestinian Authority’s request, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon rued what he called “fiery rhetoric” on both sides. | |
| “More than ever, the situation calls for bold thinking and creative ideas,” Mr. Ban said. “We must strive to restore, not only calm today, but a political horizon for tomorrow,” Mr. Ban said. | |
| Mr. Ban’s calls for restraint, however, appeared to go unheeded by the ambassadors of the antagonists. | |
| The Israeli ambassador, Ron Prosor, played an air raid siren in the council, to reflect what he said his country’s citizens hear every time a rocket from Gaza is aimed at Israel. He blamed Hamas for starting the latest crisis. He called his Palestinian counterpart, Riyad Mansour, “a mouthpiece of Hamas.” | |
| Mr. Mansour angrily blamed the underlying Israeli occupation and Israel’s government for the killings of Palestinians over the past three days, which he said had exceeded 90, including nearly two dozen women and children. He dismissed Israel’s claim of self-defense, mentioned nothing about the rockets from Gaza and called on the Council to do something to “salvage prospects for peace and security” or risk a historical judgment of complicity in deaths of innocents. | |
| Later the Council session went into private consultations. |