Gaza ground invasion looks likely as weather clears

Gaza ground invasion looks likely as weather clears
An Israeli ground assault on Gaza is looking increasingly likely after the Jewish state rejected international diplomatic efforts calling for a ceasefire.

By Tim Butcher in Jerusalem
Last Updated: 11:25AM GMT 01 Jan 2009

Previous1 of 3 ImagesNext Palestinian youths look at a car incinerated in an Istraeli air strike that killed a four year-old-girl and her four sisters as they slept in their home Photo: GETTY IMAGES
Israeli soldiers prepare to fire a mortar round towards the Gaza Strip from the Israeli side of the border Photo: AFP/GETTY
The New Year in the West Bank villiage of Nillin begins with the burial of the dead body of a boy killed during a protest against the Israeli missle strike on Gaza Photo: EPA
After two days of rain and cloud cover which made the use of tanks and armoured infantry difficult, the skies over the Gaza Strip cleared today.

Israel's security cabinet of Ehud Olmert, prime minister, Ehud Barak, defence minister, and Tzipi Livni, Foreign Minister, were due to meet to decide on the next stage of Operation Cast Lead.

Since the attacks began last Saturday, a total of 450 targets have been struck by guided bombs and missiles. But with the number of potential targets now declining the cabinet will need to decide whether to keep up pressure on Hamas by sending in Israeli ground forces.

An Israeli security source said: "There is a strong sense that for the first time Hamas is on the back foot and the decision must be taken on how to push through our advantage."

Any ground operation is expected to lead to a surge in the number of civilian Palestinian casualties.

Israel's three major ground offensives into Gaza since 2005 – operations Summer Rains, Autumn Clouds, Hot Winter and Cast Lead – have all been targeted against militants but nevertheless caused hundreds of civilian deaths.

Israel has massed several brigades of infantry and Merkava main battle tanks on the perimeter fence around Gaza and has called up thousands of reservists to swell the number of combat soldiers available.

After five days of air attacks Israeli air force commanders have been running out of targets to hit from the air although it moves swiftly to bomb any groups inside Gaza assessed to be militants preparing to fire rockets. Overnight there was a relatively low level of activity.

Israel is also aware of the worsening humanitarian plight of the 1.5 million-strong Palestinian population inside the Gaza Strip who are enduring grim conditions.

Many are without power, mains water or access to fresh food. Families are forced to huddle together in the cold with windows left wide open to reduce the risk of injury from flying glass.

For months Israel has restricted the flow of humanitarian goods into Gaza as a way to apply pressure on Hamas.

Since the shooting began last Saturday Israel has reversed that policy, however, allowing modest amounts of food, fuel and medicines to be collected at designated spots along the Gaza perimeter fence.

The problem faced by aid workers however is that roads of Gaza are more dangerous than ever with civilian traffic often caught up in the bombardment. Israeli airstrikes killed two Palestinian ambulance crew on Wednesday.

Israel has allowed two Palestinian children injured in the bombing to be allowed into Israel for medical treatment.

Israel rejected international calls for a 48 hour lull in operations to allow a surge in humanitarian relief but diplomatic efforts continued to seek a ceasefire.

A draft UN resolution put forward by Egypt and Libya failed after the US and UK complained it called on Israel to ends its air assaults but made no mention of Hamas rocket attacks.