435 killed in Israel's Gaza attacks in a week as US gives free rein

At least 75 children and 21 women have been killed during the offensive on one of the worlds most densely populated areas, according to Gaza medics, the AFP reported. The offensive -- one of Israel’s deadliest ever against Gaza -- has wounded another 2,285 others, it said.

 

The raids by warplanes and naval vessels have targeted Hamas government buildings, the homes of Hamas officials, mosques alleged to have stored weapons and tunnels used to smuggle arms and goods into the territory that Israel has kept virtually sealed since Hamas seized power in June 2007.

 

"There have been approximately 750 strikes," a military spokesman said. Militants in Gaza have fired approximately 500 rockets and mortar rounds into Israel over the past week, the army said, killing three civilians and one soldier and wounding several dozen people.

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Israel unleashed "Operation Cast Lead" on December 27 in a bid to halt persistent rocket fire from the territory, but it has failed to stop the attacks.

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Reuters said an Israeli airstrike Saturday killed a senior Hamas commander. The airstrike in Gaza killed Abu Zakaria al-Jamal, a senior leader of the armed wing of Hamas, the report added.

 

In Washington U.S. President George W. Bush, in remarks to be broadcast Saturday, urged all able parties to press Hamas to stop firing rockets at Israel and secure a lasting ceasefire, after a week of heavy Israeli air strikes on the Gaza Strip.

 

US GIVES FREE REIN ON GROUND OPERATION

His administration meanwhile gave Israel free rein over whether to send ground troops into Gaza, despite growing criticism over its handling of a conflict.

 

"The United States is leading diplomatic efforts to achieve a meaningful ceasefire that is fully respected," Bush said in his weekly radio address, the text of which was released by the White House in advance. These were his first remarks since the conflict erupted a week ago.

 

He said: "I urge all parties to pressure Hamas to turn away from terror, and to support legitimate Palestinian leaders working for peace," including Mahmud Abbas, president of the US-backed Palestinian Authority.

 

He has been in contact with Abbas as well as King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia, King Abdullah II of Jordan, President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert of Israel, he added.

 

Bush, who hands the White House to his successor Barack Obama in just 18 days, blamed Hamas for the latest violence and rejected a unilateral ceasefire that would allow Hamas to continue to attack Israel from the Gaza Strip.

 

Hamas shared power with the Palestinian Authority for a period after winning parliamentary elections in the West Bank and Gaza in 2006 but the arrangement collapsed and Hamas seized power outright in Gaza in June 2007.

 

"This recent outburst of violence was instigated by Hamas -- a Palestinian terrorist group supported by Iran and Syria that calls for Israel's destruction," Bush said.

 

Bush said the Israeli strikes were in self-defense after Hamas let a six-month ceasefire lapse on December 19 and fired rockets at Israel.

 

He also accused Hamas of putting Palestinian lives at risk by hiding among them.