US blames Hamas for ceasefire break

Sunday, December 28, 2008 at 8:12 am

The United States blamed Hamas for breaking a ceasefire and provoking Israeli air strikes on Saturday that killed more than 200 people in Gaza, which is controlled by the Palestinian group.

Washington did not call for an end to the Israeli attacks but urged it to avoid civilian casualties and placed the onus for ending the violence squarely on Hamas, which it considers a terrorist organization.

“What we’ve got to see is Hamas stop firing rockets into Israel, that’s what precipitated this,” said White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe, calling the Islamic group “thugs.”

The United States has worked to isolate Hamas since it won a Palestinian parliamentary election in January 2006.

Israeli officials said the assault on the Gaza Strip in pursuit of Hamas may last some time.

Saudi King Abdullah spoke about the situation with President George W. Bush, who is at his Texas ranch, said Johndroe, who offered no details of the conversation.

The air strikes followed a decision by Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s security cabinet to widen reprisals for Palestinian rocket attacks on Israel.

The United States had been aware of that authorization to pursue Hamas and US officials had been in contact with Israeli officials, Johndroe said.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice expressed concern about the escalating violence and called for immediate restoration of the ceasefire. “We strongly condemn the repeated rocket and mortar attacks against Israel and hold Hamas responsible for breaking the ceasefire and for the renewal of violence there,” she said in a statement.

In an apparent warning to minimize the risk to civilians, Rice said, “the United States calls on all concerned to protect innocent lives and to address the urgent humanitarian needs of the people of Gaza.”

India calls for end to use of force by Israel in Gaza

India called for an immediate end to the use of force by Israel against Palestinian civilians in Gaza strip, which has led to a large number of casualties there.

“Government of India has been closely monitoring developments that have been unfolding in Gaza strip. While India is aware of cross-border provocations resulting from rocket attacks particularly against targets in southern Israel, it urges an immediate end to use of force against
Palestinian civilians in Gaza strip that has resulted in large number of casualties”, External Affairs Ministry spokesman Vishnu Prakash said in New Delhi on Saturday.

“India hopes that the ongoing efforts within the region to restore peace would be supported,” he said.

UN’s Ban calls for halt to Gaza violence
US blames Hamas for ceasefire break
UN chief Ban Ki-moon on Saturday called for an immediate halt to violence in Gaza following
Israeli air strikes that killed more than 200 Palestinians in retaliation for ongoing rocket attacks against the Jewish state.

Ban “is deeply alarmed by today’s heavy violence and bloodshed in Gaza, and the continuation of violence in southern Israel,” a spokesman for the UN secretary general said in a statement.

The UN leader “appeals for an immediate halt to all violence” and reiterates “previous calls for humanitarian supplies to be allowed into Gaza to aid the distressed civilian population.”

“While recognising Israel’s security concerns regarding the continued firing of rockets from Gaza,” read the statement, Ban “firmly reiterates Israel’s obligation to uphold international humanitarian and human rights law and condemns excessive use of force leading to the killing and injuring of civilians.”

( This post is from an independent writer. The opinions and views expressed herein are those of the author and are not endorsed by APakistanNews.Com.)

US blames Hamas for ceasefire break

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