Humanitarian aid trucks, loaded with 1,119 tons of supplies, were transferred through the Kerem Shalom Crossing into the Gaza Strip today. The products transferred include flour, medical equipment, and medicine donated by international organizations and several countries, such as: United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), United Nations World Food Programme, the Red Cross, the Egyptian Government, and the Jordanian Government. In addition, 215,000 liters of diesel were transferred to support the activities of UNRWA and 45 tons of natural gas for use in civilian homes.

All photos courtesy IDF Spokesperson.

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Two opinion pieces in today’s paper discuss the current operations against Hamas in light of the worldwide efforts to combat terrorist entities.  William Kristol, writing in the New York Times, discusses how Israel has managed to learn from her mistakes made in conducting a war against Hizbullah two years ago.  He also notes that Israel does not have to hold onto Gaza for this counterterrorism operation to succeed, an important point that has not been made enough.

An editorial in the Wall Street Journal (subscription required) makes many of the same points, but emphasizes the role these operations play in fighting the extremist ideologies backed by Iran.  As long as Israel’s military is able to send a forceful and convincing message to Iran and her allies, the moderates in the Middle East–as well as Europe and the United States–will all be better off.

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As this video shows, evidently, Hamas does.  Upon entering Gaza, the IDF has found tunnels and stores of weapons in some pretty strange places–many of which are in civilian areas (like the bathroom above).

You can find more videos and footage on YouTube.

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Three crossings into Gaza were open today (05 January).  This allowed approximately 80 truckloads of supplies and 200,000 liters of gasoline (for the Gaza power plant) to enter the Gaza Strip.

Israel has been working with the International Committee of the Red Cross to conduct necessary humanitarian work in the Gaza Strip.  The ICRC reports that a war surgery team has received authorization to enter Gaza (which it has done) and that it has escorted teams of Palestinian technicians working to repair water mains and power lines in the northern Gaza Strip.  In addition, Israel and the ICRC have worked to ensure safe passage to even the most dangerous areas for ambulances and a fire brigade.

Finally, Israel has actively assisted the many non-governmental organizations working in Gaza to help the Palestinian people.  At a meeting yesterday (04 January), NGO representatives discussed some of the more pressing problems with the Israeli government including: availability of wheat and gasoline and a shortage of cash.
During the second part of the meeting, Foreign Minister Livni herself met with the NGO representatives to better understand the situation on the ground from their point of view.  The NGOs expressed their satisfaction with the level of Israeli cooperation.
At this meeting, the representative of the World Health Organization mentioned that setting up a field hospital was not necessary.  He did note, however, that the Palestinians were preventing the wounded from being evacuated to Israel, preferring that they be evacuated to Egypt.

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President Shimon Peres appeared yesterday on ABC’s “This Week” with George Stephanopoulos.  He discussed Israel’s position on the six-month “state of calm” that expired last month and insisted that a future ceasefire must ensure that no further terror emanate from Gaza.  You can read more of the President’s comments and watch video excerpts of the interview on the George’s Bottom Line blog.

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With the IDF now operating on the ground in several sectors of the Gaza Strip, Operation “Cast Lead” is well into its second stage.  Unfortunately, Israeli divisions have begun to suffer their casualties and the loss of one soldier.  The military expected Hamas to fight back; so far, however, the missions have continued according to plan.  In a Haaretz piece, Amos Harel and Avi Issacharoff discuss how much time this operation will be given to succeed.  While pressure may come from the international community, the greatest source of pressure can come from the home front, especially with the reports of casualties from Gaza.  The authors note that the current operations are quite dissimilar from those in Lebanon in 2006 and is by no means a failure.  There is no also reason to make it seem like one.

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New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, accompanied by Police Commissioner Ray Kelly and US Congressman Gary Ackerman, visited Israel today for a one-day solidarity mission.  During his short stay, he managed to meet with Foreign Minister Livni, Prime Minister Olmert, and residents of Sderot and Ashkelon.  Bloomberg took in the sight of Barzilai Medical Center’s underground facility and had to be hustledto a safe space after a Qassam rocket threatened his party in Sderot.  More about the specifics of this trip is available on Bloomberg News.

You can also watch a video of the visit from ABC.

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On January 4th, at Bethel Gospel Assembly in Harlem, over 1,200 people stood in support of Israel.

Bishop Carlton T. Brown, Senior Pastor of the Bethel Gospel Assembly, Inc. in Harlem lead his congregation in a special prayer for the State of Israel and all of the lives affected by the recent events in the region. continue reading…

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From Fox News:

As Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and other world leaders try to broker a cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hamas, one former member of
the militant Islamic organization said there will never be lasting peace between the two groups.

“There is no chance. Is there any chance for fire to co-exist with the water?” said Mosab Hassan Yousef, the son of one of the group’s founding members.

Yousef added: “It’s not about Israel, it’s not about Hamas: it’s about both ideologies.”

Yousef, son of Sheikh Hassan Yousef, one of the most influential leaders of the militant group, said the organization betrays the Palestinian cause and tortures its own members.

For the full article click here.

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From the Jerusalem Post:

“Fatah officials in Ramallah told The Jerusalem Post that Hamas militiamen had been assaulting many Fatah activists since the beginning of the operation last Saturday. They said at least 75 activists were shot in the legs while others had their hands broken. ”

Click here for the full article.

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