The ground invasion of Gaza is aimed at putting an end to Gaza rocket fire as worldwide pressure grows for a truce. The United States Saturday night rejected a Libyan-sponsored United Nations Security Council draft proposal for a ceasefire.

U.S. President George W. Bush stated in a radio address earlier in the day that the U.S. opposes a "one-sided" truce. The American delegation to the U.N. insisted that a resolution identify Hamas as a terrorist organization. The Libyan proposal expressed "serious concern at the escalation of the situation in Gaza, in particular, after the launching of the Israeli ground offensive."

United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon telephoned outgoing Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to communicate "disappointment" at the ground invasion while pushing for a truce.  

The State Department is talking with Jordan, Egypt and Saudi Arabia to come up with an agreement, and Egypt has talked with Hamas leaders for the first time in weeks.

Israeli media and most political parties have shown unusual solidarity for the Cast Lead counterterrorist operation. A determined diplomatic offensive has made it clear that Israel will not allow a repeat of the June 19 ceasefire agreement, under which Hamas sporadically attacked southern Israel and smuggled hundreds of tons of explosives and advanced arms into Gaza while Israel remained silent.
Israeli media and most political parties have shown unusual solidarity for the Cast Lead counterterrorist operation.

The only retaliation was the occasional closing of Gaza crossings after rocket and mortar fire.

Pressure will grow on Israel to halt the Gaza campaign as the U.S. prepares to inaugurate President-elect Barack Obama on January 20.

"The Israelis certainly want the operation over before Barack Obama enters the White House on Jan. 20, so as not to demand of him a crisis response to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict," TIME magazine reported.

One of the key issues in a new ceasefire will be the stationing of international troops on the Egyptian border with Gaza, where years of smuggling left Gaza terrorists with hundreds of tons of explosives, anti-aircraft missiles and long-range Katyusha-style rockets.

A second issue is the opening of the crossings, including the Rafiah passage between Gaza and Egypt, which has objected to its being re-opened out of fear that terrorists and civilians would overrun the country.

No mention has been made of kidnapped IDF soldier Gilad Shalit, who is a major trump card for Hamas and one that the terrorist organization is not likely to give up without receiving demands that Israel is not likely to meet.