January 4, 2009

Israel moves into Gaza via ground to fight Hamas

Israeli forces moved into northern Gaza Sunday gaining control and killing three senior members of Hamas' military wing.

An Israeli soldier was killed and another was seriously wounded near Jabalya in northern Gaza, according to the Israeli military. It marks the first military death since the ground operation was launched Saturday night.

The Israeli military said it was targeting the two senior Hamas members but gave no indication of their status.

Palestinian medical sources say Israeli forces have killed 37 Palestinians - both civilians and militants - since moving into the territory Saturday night. With those deaths, at least 485 Palestinians have been killed in the week-long military operation, including about 100 women and children, the sources said.