Egypt evacuates Rafah area, fearing IAF strike on Gaza

[Scurrilous]

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"Egyptian authorities have evacuated the Rafah border crossing into the
Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip, acting on reports of a possible Israeli air strike on the Palestinian side of the crossing, Egyptian security sources said on Sunday.

Security sources and witnesses speaking on condition of anonymity said authorities had carried out a sudden and rapid evacuation of the crossing area, removing staff and ambulances from the vicinity of the gates that control access to the crossing.

Flights by Israel Air Force F-16s over Gaza earlier Sunday sparked fears in the coastal territory that a new Israeli military offensive was underway.

A number of banks, government offices and schools in Gaza were closed as the warplanes flew through the Hamas-ruled Strip's skies. Shops were also closed in the center of Gaza City, and Gaza residents left the streets for the safety of their homes."

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1058525.html


Livni: Israel should strike Hamas again to halt arms smuggling

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"Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni said Sunday that Israel had achieved most of the goals of its offensive on the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip, but added that she would support striking the Islamist group again to halt its ongoing smuggling of weapons.

"We embarked on the operation in order to bring quiet - now there is quiet, and to stop the firing of rockets - now the firing has stopped," she said in an interview with Channel 1.

"As far as I am concerned, we could hit Hamas with another military blow. The smuggling of weapons into Gaza is the same as firing (rockets) onto Israel, and the world sees that as well," Livni added."

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1058556.html