Major invasion of Gaza Strip expected

Now why would Israel do that? Oh yah, to avoid the Arab Initiative and “peace process.”
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(Gaza City) Palestine News Network

Wednesday, 25 April 2007

Sources indicated late Wednesday morning that Israeli forces are preparing to invade parts of the Gaza Strip within hours. The Palestine Observer to United Nations, Dr. Riyad Mansour, said, “The Israeli military build-up, incursions and attacks around the Gaza Strip constitute a clear threat of widespread aggression.”

However, the head of negotiations in the Palestine Liberation Organization, Dr. Sa'eb Erekat, said Wednesday afternoon that contacts had been between the Palestinian, Israeli and American administrations in order to prevent a further deterioration in the situation.

Government spokesperson Ghazi Hamad told the press yesterday that it is impossible to suggest that there is anything resembling a “cease-fire” in play. “The truce has collapsed in light of serious developments, including the intensification of Israeli military operations which have resulted in the killing of many with even more injured,” Hamad said.

Some in the Palestinian government are still calling for calm, but Israeli forces did spend the week invading and killing members of the armed resistance and teenagers. Under the current conditions it is a difficult sell to convince many of the people, including the armed resistance, to not fight back. Egyptian security called today upon the armed resistance to exercise restraint and stop launching projectiles in order to not give pretext for further invasion.

Hamad emphasized the need for “the aggressive practices of the occupation to stop.” He said, “Our people must be protected.” The Government Spokesperson indicated that as the threats of a major Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip continue, consultations among Palestinian forces and factions have been underway since Tuesday.

However as the Al Qassam Brigades Spokesperson in Gaza, Abu Obeiyda, pointed out, Israeli forces “destroyed the truce within hours of it beginning.”