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Deaths reached 885 and injuries 3900. Indiscriminate attacks continued. The great majority of casualties are civilians. At least 211 are children.On January 12, the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC - the successor body to its Commission on Human Rights) passed a Cuba-sponsored resolution condemning Israel's aggression and recommending international observers investigate atrocities on the ground. The vote was 33 ayes, one nay (Canada), and 13 abstentions by Germany, represented EU nations, South Korea, Switzerland, and others. Countries in support included Russia, China, Brazil and Argentina. America isn't a member.
Day Eighteen
Day Nineteen
Terror bombings and savage ground attacks continued round-the-clock. The Palestinian Health Ministry reported that confirmed deaths passed 1000 and over 4580 have been injured, many seriously with hundreds "clinically" dead. A Gaza City municipal facility was struck by a blast described as enormous. A central Gaza City cemetery was also hit spreading body parts and rotting flesh over a wide area and simultaneously destroying homes in Sheikh Radwan. Jabaliya Refugee camp was targeted with deaths reported, and Israeli tanks continue to shell houses in densely populated areas.
Entire neighborhoods have been leveled. Agricultural land has been razed. Attacks continue night and day. PCHR cites the "massive forced internal displacement of the civilian population of Gaza City" and other targeted areas.
Reuters, Haaretz, and the Egyptian news agency MENA reported that with changes Hamas may be ready to accept an Egyptian-brokered ceasefire. Hamas leader Salah Al-Bardawil praised Egypt's initiative as "the only one calling for an immediate stop to Israeli aggression."
Hamas representative in Lebanon Osama Hamdan told Al-Jazeera that changes still must be made. "There are still points of difference" so far unresolved. "The initiative in its present form does not realize the (Palestinian national) interest. Specific points have to be changed....We believe there is no initiative which cannot be modified or changed."
Key sticking points remain, including Israel wanting Fatah (the PA) in charge of administering Gaza's reconstruction and controlling its borders - essentially empowering the Abbas - Fayyad government in Gaza as well as the West Bank and neutralizing Hamas.
Other problems also exist, according to Deputy chairman of Hamas' Political Bureau, Moussa Abu Marzouk. He told Al-Arabiya television that:
"Israel did not abide by any of the previous truce conditions, and therefore there must be a short and pre-defined period between each stage that would allow us to evaluate the situation and agree to move on to the next stage."
In addition, Abbas' presidential term expired on January 9. He claims the right to retain it for another year until January 2010 parliamentary elections are held. Hamas disagrees and no longer recognizes him as president. Its spokesman, Mushir al-Masri said: "He's in power only because the Israelis and Americans want him to stay."
Either way, Hamas PLC representative Salah al-Bardawil said ceasefire negotiations seek the following goals: ending Israel's aggression; withdrawing all Israeli troops from Gaza; lifting the siege; reopening border crossings, rehabilitating the Strip, and compensating Gaza residents for the damage. From Damascus, Hamas political leader Khaled Meshal offered the same terms and said: "We will not accept any political movement that doesn't satisfy these demands."
White House spokesperson Dana Perino said: "We have every right to be skeptical of things that you see in the newspaper reported about Hamas. And so I think we need to wait and see what actually happens. And as things develop, we'll comment from there." A State Department official added that Hamas hasn't met ceasefire terms. "It's not a done deal. There are a number of Hamas conditions that (have) to be dealt with." It's clear that means empowering Fatah and neutralizing Hamas.
Day Twenty
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