In addition to knocking out electricity in much of Gaza, the operation has included:
* Aerial missile attack on an electricity station south of Gaza City
* Aerial attacks on three bridges in the central Gaza Strip, over dry river beds
* Artillery fire at open areas in the southern Gaza Strip
* Entry of armored forces into the Dahaniya area, mainly the abandoned airport, where the IDF has set up a headquarters. This area represents a strategic control and observation point over the southern Gaza Strip.
One incident of gunfire and anti-tank missile fire at the IDF forces has been reported, causing no injuries.
Former Deputy Defense Minister Ephraim Sneh (Labor) said today, "I warned many times in the past that if you retreat from a territory unilaterally and leave hostile elements there, you will end up having to go back in."
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and other Israeli officials continue to tirelessly emphasize that the purpose of the IDF operation is only to bring about the release of the abducted soldier; he did not mention stopping the Kassam rocket attacks against Israel. "The operation's only goal is to return Gilad home," Olmert said today. "Israel will not wage any negotiations with the terrorists for his release.
Olmert continued, "This military operation which will continue in the coming days is designed only for this purpose alone. We have no interest in hurting Palestinian civilians, and none were hurt today. Whatever damage is caused to the civilian population is the fault of the Hamas government and its representatives in Syria... We have no interest in re-conquering Gaza, and no intention to remain there. We only want to free Gilad."
Only in passing did Olmert address the issue of the 150 Kassam rockets that have been fired at Sderot over the past weeks: "We will also fight the terrorists; not one of them will be immune."
Foreign Minister Tzippy Livny similarly said, after meeting with U.S. Secretary of Justice Alberto Gonzalez this morning, that the "reason for this operation in Gaza is not hatred or punishment, but rather to try to free Gilad." Similarly ignoring the Kassam rockets, Livny added that Israel expects the international community to "continue to exert pressure on the Palestinian Authority to free the soldier and prevent a further escalation of the situation."
Four Kassam rockets were fired towards Ashkelon this morning.
An IDF statement explained that the purpose of the measures taken thus far is to prevent the kidnappers from transferring the soldier from place to place, and to otherwise disrupt their activity. In addition, the operation sends "a clear message to the terror organizations holding the soldier captive that if he is not released safely and quickly, further operational means remain available to the IDF."
Mohammad Nazal, allied with the ultra-intransigent Khaled Mashaal of the Damascus-based Hamas leadership, said that Hamas would not agree to free the Israeli soldier "without a deal [for] something in return." He told AP that "this is the popular demand, and we cannot let down our people." A quick poll released on Monday showed that 86% of the Arab public in the Palestinian Authority negates releasing the soldier without receiving anything in return.
Meshaal heads the clan that is taking an even more militant stand against freeing the soldier than the Hamas government.
Justice Minister Chaim Ramon (Kadima) equated Mashaal with Bin Laden, saying that "Mashaal is within our target sights." He called upon the international community not to "stand idly by while Syria grants shelter to Mashaal, who oversaw the kidnapping of the soldier."
Within Israel, the general consensus appears to be against talking with Hamas. Even Shimon Peres, speaking with CNN today, said, "For Israel to enter into negotiations with the kidnappers would turn Khaled Mashaal and the band of murderers into victors."
MK Nissan Slomiansky (National Union/NRP) said, "At this time, with the IDF entering Gaza, we must put aside all our differences of opinion, and stand together aside the government, the soldiers of the IDF and their officers, and hope that they will succeed in their mission and return safely home."
MK Yitzchak Galanti (Pensioners) said, "Only a combination of pressure on the civilian population that elected the Hamas government and targeting the Hamas government leaders will bring about the release of the abducted prisoners and the rehabilitation of Israel's deterrence power."
Arab MK Azmi Bishara, speaking with the Al-Jazeera television station, justified the Hamas kidnapping of an Israeli soldier. He said that it was a fair response to Israel's killing of civilians in Gaza. Bishara did not mention that the killings were an accidental side-effect of Israel's attempt to kill terrorists.
Two extreme left-wing Meretz Party MKs - Zahava Gal'on and Ran Cohen - suggested that Arab prisoners be released in exchange for the soldier Gilad Shalit. They were quickly censored by their party colleague Avshalom Vilan, however, who said that talk of this nature at this time is irresponsible, and hurts the chances of releasing the kidnapped soldier.
* Aerial missile attack on an electricity station south of Gaza City
* Aerial attacks on three bridges in the central Gaza Strip, over dry river beds
* Artillery fire at open areas in the southern Gaza Strip
* Entry of armored forces into the Dahaniya area, mainly the abandoned airport, where the IDF has set up a headquarters. This area represents a strategic control and observation point over the southern Gaza Strip.
One incident of gunfire and anti-tank missile fire at the IDF forces has been reported, causing no injuries.
Former Deputy Defense Minister Ephraim Sneh (Labor) said today, "I warned many times in the past that if you retreat from a territory unilaterally and leave hostile elements there, you will end up having to go back in."
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and other Israeli officials continue to tirelessly emphasize that the purpose of the IDF operation is only to bring about the release of the abducted soldier; he did not mention stopping the Kassam rocket attacks against Israel. "The operation's only goal is to return Gilad home," Olmert said today. "Israel will not wage any negotiations with the terrorists for his release.
Olmert continued, "This military operation which will continue in the coming days is designed only for this purpose alone. We have no interest in hurting Palestinian civilians, and none were hurt today. Whatever damage is caused to the civilian population is the fault of the Hamas government and its representatives in Syria... We have no interest in re-conquering Gaza, and no intention to remain there. We only want to free Gilad."
Only in passing did Olmert address the issue of the 150 Kassam rockets that have been fired at Sderot over the past weeks: "We will also fight the terrorists; not one of them will be immune."
Foreign Minister Tzippy Livny similarly said, after meeting with U.S. Secretary of Justice Alberto Gonzalez this morning, that the "reason for this operation in Gaza is not hatred or punishment, but rather to try to free Gilad." Similarly ignoring the Kassam rockets, Livny added that Israel expects the international community to "continue to exert pressure on the Palestinian Authority to free the soldier and prevent a further escalation of the situation."
Four Kassam rockets were fired towards Ashkelon this morning.
An IDF statement explained that the purpose of the measures taken thus far is to prevent the kidnappers from transferring the soldier from place to place, and to otherwise disrupt their activity. In addition, the operation sends "a clear message to the terror organizations holding the soldier captive that if he is not released safely and quickly, further operational means remain available to the IDF."
Mohammad Nazal, allied with the ultra-intransigent Khaled Mashaal of the Damascus-based Hamas leadership, said that Hamas would not agree to free the Israeli soldier "without a deal [for] something in return." He told AP that "this is the popular demand, and we cannot let down our people." A quick poll released on Monday showed that 86% of the Arab public in the Palestinian Authority negates releasing the soldier without receiving anything in return.
Meshaal heads the clan that is taking an even more militant stand against freeing the soldier than the Hamas government.
Justice Minister Chaim Ramon (Kadima) equated Mashaal with Bin Laden, saying that "Mashaal is within our target sights." He called upon the international community not to "stand idly by while Syria grants shelter to Mashaal, who oversaw the kidnapping of the soldier."
Within Israel, the general consensus appears to be against talking with Hamas. Even Shimon Peres, speaking with CNN today, said, "For Israel to enter into negotiations with the kidnappers would turn Khaled Mashaal and the band of murderers into victors."
MK Nissan Slomiansky (National Union/NRP) said, "At this time, with the IDF entering Gaza, we must put aside all our differences of opinion, and stand together aside the government, the soldiers of the IDF and their officers, and hope that they will succeed in their mission and return safely home."
MK Yitzchak Galanti (Pensioners) said, "Only a combination of pressure on the civilian population that elected the Hamas government and targeting the Hamas government leaders will bring about the release of the abducted prisoners and the rehabilitation of Israel's deterrence power."
Arab MK Azmi Bishara, speaking with the Al-Jazeera television station, justified the Hamas kidnapping of an Israeli soldier. He said that it was a fair response to Israel's killing of civilians in Gaza. Bishara did not mention that the killings were an accidental side-effect of Israel's attempt to kill terrorists.
Two extreme left-wing Meretz Party MKs - Zahava Gal'on and Ran Cohen - suggested that Arab prisoners be released in exchange for the soldier Gilad Shalit. They were quickly censored by their party colleague Avshalom Vilan, however, who said that talk of this nature at this time is irresponsible, and hurts the chances of releasing the kidnapped soldier.