E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSSNBC's Ayman Mohyeldin reports from Gaza City, where the streets remain empty as Palestinians brace themselves for overnight airstrikes as part of Israel's intense aerial campaign.
Updated at 11 p.m. ET: The day after Israeli aircraft bombed Hamas offices in Gaza and Hamas fired a rocket at Tel Aviv, Egypt's president said Saturday night that "some indications" exist that a ceasefire might be possible.
"There are some indications that there is a possibility of a ceasefire soon, but we do not yet have firm guarantees," Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi told a joint news conference with Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan, who was visiting Cairo.
Egypt had brokered an informal truce in October that has since collapsed, and it has said it is working for a new deal.
Before dawn on Saturday, Israeli aircraft fired missiles at Gaza buildings that included the office of Gaza Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, as armed conflict in the region entered its fourth day.
Uriel Sinai / Getty Images
An Israeli missile from the "Iron Dome" defense system is fired Saturday to destroy a rocket fired from Gaza at Tel Aviv.
Hamas later retaliated, firing a rocket at Israel's biggest city, Tel Aviv, for the third straight day. Police said it was destroyed in mid-air by an Iron Dome anti-missile battery deployed hours earlier, and no one was injured.
But Hamas rocket fire appeared to be subsiding. The Israeli military said Sunday morning that Gaza militants hadn't attacked Israel since the night before.
Overnight, six journalists were wounded in Gaza City when Israeli warplanes hit a television station, according to Agence France-Presse. Reuters said witnesses identified the station as al Quds, which Israel sees as pro-Hamas. Sky News reported that around 5 a.m. local time, two missiles hit the building that houses its studios and offices. Al-Arabiya also said that its offices had been hit.
Medics say that 48 people living in Gaza were killed by early Sunday and more than 450 injured since Israel started airstrikes Wednesday, Agence France-Presse reported.
In the Israeli Mediterranean port of Ashdod, a rocket ripped into several balconies. Police said five people were hurt.
As the crisis escalates, Israel's military is considering waging a ground campaign. It started drafting 16,000 reserve troops on Friday, as Israel's Cabinet authorized the mobilization of up to 75,000 reservists. Troops were massing on the border and witnesses said they could see Israeli ships off Gaza's coast, NBC News' Ayman Mohyeldin reported.
In a broadcast statement, Hamas’s military wing, the Qassam Brigades, said a ground invasion would be "stupid and foolish."
The statement also said that Hamas has used sophisticated weapons – including locally made, long-range rockets -- to strike at Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.
Hamas says it blames Israel for the war, saying that Israeli leaders made “stupid” decisions that triggered the wrath of Hamas, and that has forced Israelis into bomb shelters.
NBC's Martin Fletcher and Richard Engle report from Tel Aviv and Gaza, where violence is ramping up.
Despite the violence, Tunisia's foreign minister arrived in the coastal enclave on Saturday in a show of solidarity, denouncing the Israeli attacks as illegitimate and unacceptable.
Officials in Gaza said 41 Palestinians, among them 20 civilians including eight children and a pregnant woman, had been killed in Gaza since Israel began operations four days ago. Three Israeli civilians were killed by a rocket on Thursday.
Israel's military said its air force had hit at least 180 targets since midnight, including a police headquarters, government buildings, rocket launching squads and a Hamas training facility in the impoverished territory.
NBC's Mike Viqueira and Martin Fletcher report on the latest developments in the ongoing crisis in the Middle East and each weigh in on what role the US would play in a possible ground offensive by Israel into Gaza.
Reporting from Gaza City, NBC's Richard Engel posted a message on Twitter describing the buzz of drones over the city. "It sounds like everyone is out mowing their lawns in the dark," he said.
A three-story house belonging to Hamas official Abu Hassan Salah was also hit and completely destroyed early on Saturday. Rescuers said at least 30 people were pulled from the rubble.
"What Israel is doing is not legitimate and is not acceptable at all," Tunisian Foreign Minister Rafik Abdesslem said as he visited Haniyeh's wrecked headquarters. "It does not have total immunity and is not above international law."
Hatem Moussa / AP
A ball of fire rises from an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City on Saturday.
Hamas says it is committed to continued confrontation with Israel and is eager not to seem any less resolute than smaller, more radical groups that have emerged in Gaza in recent years.
The Islamist Hamas has ruled Gaza since 2007. Israel pulled settlers out of Gaza in 2005 but has maintained a blockade of the territory.
Israel launched a massive air campaign on Wednesday with the declared aim of deterring Hamas from launching cross-border rocket salvoes that have plagued southern Israel for years.
The Palestinians have fired hundreds of rockets out of Gaza, including one at Jerusalem and three at Tel Aviv - Israel's commercial center. Jerusalem had not been targeted in such a way since 1970, and Tel Aviv since 1991.
Key players in the Israel-Gaza cross-border conflict
Although there were no reports of casualties or damage in either city, the long-range attacks came as a shock and advanced the prospect of an Israeli ground invasion into Gaza.
NBC's Richard Engle reports from Gaza City, where residents are preparing for a potential invasion as Israeli drones fly overhead.
"This will last as long as is needed; we have not limited ourselves in means or in time," Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman told Israel's Channel One television on Saturday.
In a call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday, U.S. President Barack Obama reiterated American support for Israel to defend itself, Reuters reported. The two leaders also discussed options for "de-escalating" the situation, the White House said in a statement.
He also called Egypt's Morsi on Friday, and underscored his hope of restoring stability.
Rockets from Gaza fired on Tel Aviv and Jerusalem
Netanyahu held a four-hour strategy session late on Friday with a clutch of senior ministers on widening the military campaign, while other cabinet members were polled by telephone on increasing mobilization.
Political sources said they decided to more than double the current reserve troop quota set for the Gaza offensive to 75,000. It did not necessarily mean all would be called up.
Suhaib Salem / Reuters
Palestinians inspect the destroyed office building of Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh in Gaza City on Saturday.
In a further sign Netanyahu might be clearing the way for a ground operation, Israel's armed forces decreed a highway leading to the territory and two roads bordering the enclave of 1.7 million Palestinians off-limits to civilian traffic.
NBC's Ayman Mohyeldin answers your questions about Israel-Gaza conflict
The Israeli military said some 367 rockets fired from Gaza had hit Israel since Wednesday and at least 222 more were intercepted by its Iron Dome anti-missile system.
The Israel Defense Force said Saturday that mortar fire from Gaza had damaged an electricity cable in the south of Israel. "As a result, power is out in areas of northern Gaza Strip," the IDF said in a message posted on Twitter.
Four Iron Domes were deployed initially and a fifth was rushed into action on Saturday, weeks ahead of schedule. The army said it was placed in the Tel Aviv area, showing Israel's concern for the safety of its heavily populated coastline.
Reuters contributed to this report.
Ammar Awad / Reuters
Two sides exchange deadly airstrikes, rocket attacks.
Leave a Comment:
POOR little Palestinian Jihaddists ..
So little ..so young..so much more BOMB MAKING...to learn...sigh.....
Israel needs to go into Gaza and clean out the Hamas scum or there will never be peace. Then turn it over to the West Bank Palestinian authority. At least since the terrorist Arafat has died the West Bank has been relatively peaceful.
This irritates me!! This story appears spun so it looks as if Israel is the aggressor - Israel is DEFENDING themselves against the 300-plus rockets being SHOT AT THEM. People, please read the whole story. The Gaza strip, West Bank, has been a source of contention for years - it's always been - and is continuing to be - a war between Israelis and Arabs for the holy site of Jerusalem. Control of these contended areas will also afford control of land adjacent to world's largest petroleum source. Religion. Money. Power.
One side murders as many innocent people as possible to blowing themselves up in crowded market places, and aiming rockets at schools. The other side trys to kill the murderers who hide behind innocent people. It is evil to refusing to recognize the difference between good and evil.
I know this is very off topic, but I would appreciate help from anyone who believes in free speech. I think I'll post this a couple of times; sorry. I first want to point out how great it is that NBC allows freedom of speech, and doesn't ban users who are non-insulting and non-obscene. That is not true of Fox Nation. I cannot get back on Fox, even under a different name. But if anyone else gets a chance to make an account there, I'd appreciate you putting up the following post (it is also entertaining to go there and be perfectly logical, but if you argue too logically and successfully, you'll be banned as well in a few days and find that you cannot log in again):
Dear Fox Nation posters. Recently a poster who used the name noncoms was banned from Fox. He was banned not because he used obscenity, nor because he personally insulted anyone. He was banned because he presented alternative information and viewpoints that Fox does not like. In its fine print, under the banner "ALL OPINONS WELCOME," Fox Nation says that it is only open to people who share their values. It is not healthy to limit political discussions to only one side. Please let Fox Nation know that you are not afraid of honest debate, and you do not need to be protected from differing opinions. In the meantime, please feel free to come to nbcnews and join the discussion there. NBC news is not afraid to present all opinions, if expressed without threats or obscenity.
I just read the Fox T's and C's. They state explicitely that, "The FOX News Services are offered for your personal use only and may not be used for commercial purposes unless you receive prior written authorization from FOX News. FOX News reserves the right to remove commercial content in its sole discretion. You understand that you are responsible for all Content that you post, upload, transmit, email or otherwise make available on, through or in connection with the FOX News Services (collectively, "User Content"). Accordingly, please choose carefully the information that you post on, through or in connection with the FOX News Services. You understand that FOX News does not control the User Content posted by users via the FOX News Services and, as such, you understand you may be exposed to offensive, indecent, inaccurate or otherwise objectionable Content. FOX News assumes no responsibility or liability for this type of Content. If you become aware of misuse of the FOX News Services, please report this immediately to FOX News by emailing foxnewsonline@foxnews.com, Subject: Misuse of FOX News Services. FOX News assumes no responsibility for monitoring the FOX News Services for inappropriate Content or conduct. If at any time, FOX News chooses in its sole discretion to monitor the FOX News Services, FOX News nonetheless assumes no responsibility for Content other than FOX News Content, assumes no obligation to modify or remove any inappropriate Content, and no responsibility for the conduct of any user."
No where does it indicate what you state!
Are you the poster boy for the Huffington Post?
Here's an Idea. Tell everyone, we're gonna nuke the whole of Israel and Palestine. I mean just level and turn the whole area to glass.
Those who want to live will leave. Extremists on both sides will stay.....Then, we turn the whole place to glass...No sacred places anymore, just a flat piece of land filled with radiation and glass. No extremists. Those who attempt to go back will die of radiation poisoning. You'd need a GPS to find Jerusalem, and nothing would be there anyway.
You take the toy away when the children can't share.
Faith is in the heart not in Stones.
What faith is that..Islam?
Christianity. The Jews were promised the land, not Christians. Jesus said he existed in the hearts of the faithful.
Okay, maybe not the Stones, but surely Genesis. They rock!
This is the beginning of the end. There are over one billion Muslims in the middle east, and they all want to destroy Isreal. As the fighting escalates, other countries will become involved, and finally the U.S. must also. Mean while the Stupid Americans fight amoung themselves over the stupid fact that they have a non-white President. How soon before the shooting and killing start there also? Somewhere the Anti-Christ is laughing at us and preparing for mans final distruction, and we are not falling into his trap, we are JUMPING into his trap.
O'Bama HAS and WILL do nothing-my prediction...he will continue to give millions to Egypt and a half dozen others showing support of Gihad...he is ..well, I can't even think of a word to describe his 'inability' as a leader.. I guess someone who covered up Bhengazi for his own political reasons.. (or is incredibly inept and unaware of what is going on in with his own country)can be expected to act any differently...he will go down as one, if not THE worst president ever..
Israel GAVE THEM GAZA already...they are at fault for starting this by attacking Israel. But as an American, I blame O'Bama. He ignored Net's plea to meet before the election, citing he was too 'busy' and ONLY met after Congress and Chicago's jewish mayor stepped in and urged him to...they even had to write O'Bama a letter to 'remind' him of his diplomatic duties (google Congress letter to him if you don't beleive me)..O'Bama continues to reduce the number of our nuclear arms while allowing Iran to beef up their arsenal. Israel is now surrounded yet we CONTINUE to give Egypt big money as well as other countries who are now showing support for the terrorrists attacking Israel. We have plenty of leverage here to stop the support (WITHDRAW our money!!!!) but he does nothing more than 'talk'by phone to israel. How about influencing the countries who are now showing support of Ghihad by threateningto withdraw our financial support? We give Egypt alone millions every year.. Yup, Mr. president, run up more debt by doubing the numbers who qualify for public aid in 2014 but don't dare make a stand against the countries now supporting Gihad by threatening to take away OUR money...what a joke of a world 'leader' ..
You forget that is was all the Palestinians before England decide to give Israel to the Jews
Truth of it is that the US has already threatened to stop the 500 million we send to Palestine each year if they continue to pursue a vote scheduled for the 29th at the UN. The vote would recognize Palestine as a state and the US is dead set against that.
You think Obama is an Irish name?!
YOu are wrong. This land always belonged to Israel. For thousands of years this was Israels. Jerusalem is a creation of Israel. The question after 70 AD did they forefeit the land. Israel went tribe by tribe to stake their land in the early 40's. They took back what was rightfully theirs. It would be like the Indians taking back what was taken from them. Israel will never give up Jerusalem. Palestine will never have Jerusalem as its capitol. The name Palestine was an English creation given to a collection of refugees from neighboring countries.
Sorry for the repeat. This from an earlier post:
The first Jewish state was created out of the land of Canaan in the 15th Century B.C. Please note the Jewish faith was much older. But this region of the world has been conquered many times, by many different people through the centuries to follow; the Assyrians, Persions and Romans (later Byzantine Empire {Christianity was dominate}). Islam religion and the Quran were created in the 7th Century A.D. and the Arab Caliphates conquered the area. In the 11th and 12th Century the Crusades took place and back to Christians holding control, then afterward the Ottoman Turks took possession of the land until the 20th Century. The British and French occupied the Region in the late 19th and early 20th Century and in so doing the British possessed the region Palestine and made the Eastern half Jordan. The Western half remained under British Administration until 1948 when Israel and an Arab state of Palestine was created/recognized by the UN. The Palestinians rejected the created states and promptly started a war. Israel proceeded to take 26% of Palestine from the Arabs. At the same time Jordan took the West Bank from Palestine and the Gaza Strip was taken by Egypt. Funny how the Palestinians aren't mad with Jordan or Egypt! In 1967 Israel captured the West Bank and Gaza Strip after the 6-day War along with the Sinai Pennisula, which was later returned to Egypt.
I would say Israeli's have the precedent, since modern day Palestinians are of Arab decent and do not pre-date the Israelites in the land.
However, there is only one way for this region to be in peace, either the Muslims or the Jews have to go. Since neither are going to go peacefully, there will always be bloodshed until God or Allah intervenes.
Everyone wants the Jews to show restraint, would we if Mexico fired rockets into the US ??
Obama would.
Thats what would happen if we elected a president who hates the United States and everything we stand for. Hope we never do that.
When I was stationed in Japan during the Yom Kippur War, US personnel showed their support with the numbers "5-10-5". In Japanese, that's "Go Jew Go!"
NBC should be ashamed for not reporting the violence the Palestinians. What ever reprucussions fall on the Palestinians are well deserved. If they were serious about peace then they would deal with the radical elements of their own population. Israel hs every right to deal mightly with their enemies. For over 2 mileniums Gaza has always belonged Israel.The fact they have to fight for their own survival in a land that is theirs is disgusting. NBC needs to report the fear that Israel lives in dealing with suicide bombings (which always targets women, children), rocket attacks and much more.
Israel is in the right, get Iran Next..
Israel should do two things. Simultaneously launch attacks against Iran's nuclear facilities and obliterate the Hamas in Palestine - just wipe it off the face of the earth. Destroy two nuisances at once and give this idiot occupying the White House a chance to finally show his support for freedom.
If this recently elected sand-n****r chooses incorrectly then we, as a nation, have the right to forcibly remove from office because he is not protecting our interests, and citizens, abroad.
To put this in perspective: If the U.S. was repeatedly being bombed by its neighbor to the north or the south we would NOT be the agressors to fire back in retaliation to defend ourselves.
To think otherwise is ludicrous.
Actually we are being invaded by our neighbors from the south, and the Democrats wont let our law enforcement people arrest them. They need their votes to stay in power.
What do you expect, Obama's a lefty to.
The majority of people that comment here are uneducated about Palestine and what has gone on for over a half century. The Israelis want living space so they steal land. They get incredible aid from the USA , otherwise they would have been destroyed by now. The Israelis perpetrate massacre after massacre: Deir Yassen 1948 and thereafter, but the Israel rooters don't know any history. They treat this as an emotional thing, the same way that diehard New York Giant football fans root for the NY Giants. It is clear to many of us why Israel is rated number 1 terrorist state by the FBI year after year.
Netanyahu is a psychopath-he meets all definitions- and when he sends enough Israeli boys home in body bags, then maybe Israel might become a bit humble for a change. As it stands Israel feels it is above the law, especially UN laws. Why US citizens pander to the terrorist state of Israel - must be all the false news put out by the major media who are ruled by Zionists.
If you speak up you lose your job- most recently Judge Napolitano of Fox News. If Israel had any brains they would get rid oif the ruling psychopaths just like USA should get rid of all the dual Israeli citizens running USA.
glawayboy - You mean the Jews shouldn't be allowed to be in a place that was formerly called Judea? You conveniently forget the British gave almost all of Palestine to Jordan and gave a portion to the Jews. Then all the surrounding Arab states launched a war to destroy it then and several times since. And you conveniently forget to mention all the Arab neighbors that turned on their Jewish neighbors and massacred them in 1948. I suggest you go back and reread history. I bet you are a Pal probably writing from Gaza City.
You are pretty funny, extolling other people's ignorance of history and then explaining the current situation in terms of 60 years context. No one but a muslim could have such a distorted world view. Please answer me this. Who built the city of Jerusalem? Does it predate your prophet and your religion? How did Muslims achieve their dominance in this region?
If you cant tell the difference between someone who intentionally murders as many innocent people as possible and someone who kills murderers but unintentionally kills the innocent people they hide behind you are a fool. If you rounded off your education by reading something that is true, you might avoid being an educated fool .Besides, Israel has the best documented deed in history.
Israel didn't START what is happening NOW...Gihad terrorists did..and I'd take Net over the socialist incompetent we have anyday..
Bible prophesy unfolding before our very eyes. Eekekiel 38, Matthew 24, etc. Israel is the apple of God's eye, and because of His promise to Abraham recorded in the Bible, God will show all nations and peoples that He is the Almighty when He delivers Israel from her oppressors.
You, I and several others know where this is all heading but there will always be those who will say that is only from some outdated old book that means nothing yet it keeps heading in the direction that the old outdated book says it would.
Time to burn the bibles, korans and torahs...
These texts are not the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth!
The end of days for these old belief systems is upon us, free the world from religious induced ignorance...
I see, so in your superior mind, because this is said in the bible that the Jews, Muslims and Christians are engaging in a conspiricy to bring this about?
You forget, it was always the Jews LAND, by gift from GOD almighty..
...sorry,not enough
I have lived through five major wars and several minor ones. Each one was caused by people claiming to be for "Peace" Prime Minister Nevil Chamberland proclaimed"we have peace in our time" as he stood in the door way to his plane waving a treaty that allowed Hitler to begin WWII.. Korea was lost when President Tuman refused to prevent the Chinese from invading Korea. The Anti-American War activits forced us to sign a peace treaty after we won every major battle. We now know that the enemy no longer had the ability to carry on after we defeated them in the Tet Offensive. I hate war, and I hate those who do everthing to cause war while self rightously look down on us from their lofty anti American war stand.
The Palestinians are heroic freedom fighters, they should not give in until they get their fair share of their land back and restore freedom for their country!!!
People in Gaza are living in a giant outdoor prison similar to the Jewish ghettos in Nazi Germany only they are more willing to fight back!
Free Palestine!!!
Hero's dont fight behind the skirts of women using children as thei shields. If they were any kind of men, they would meet Israel on the battle field.
newbook - Why don't their Eqyptian Arab brothers unlock the gates of the prison on the south side? Gaza used to be part of Eqypt. Hint: They don't want these crazies in Eqypt either.
The Palestinians got their fair share of land its called Jordan. They just want all of it.
The prison only has one wall separating your prisoners from the 'guards'. This is there to keep the prisoners from killing all the guards and their families. The prisoners are armed. They start attacking the guards at every opportunity. They are given a choice. They elect a terrorist organization to represent them and their aspirations to the world. The other walls surrounding them are manned by their fellow co-religionists. Why are hey still standing? Yours is really a very poor analogy.
Really? Suicide bombers targeting civilians. Rockets aimed at cities with no idea who will be on the receiving end. Hiding in hospitals and schools behind the young, the sick and the elderlybeing used as shields. This is heroic in your eyes?
Read that Bible again, especially the old testament. God Oppresses his own people several times when he decides they're not worthy of his gifts. Which are we watching right now?
God's promises are everlasting despite what man thinks. God will never ever forsake Israel. Let God be true and every man a liar.
He has forsaken them many times, when every he felt like it, He sent them to slaughter in battle when he was angered. He enslaved them. When he was happy, he led them to victory. Read the book if you believe in it so much. Read from the beginning up to Kings, you will see. God is not always loving of his people.
Oh leave God alone. She's busy running the Universe for goodness sake. This is our problem, not hers.
Udasai.....the fact is that promise made by God years ago will come to fruition. eventually...every last human being on the face of the earth will know that Jesus Christ is the MAN. "every knee shal bow"
He, She. doesn't matter to me. I'm agnostic, but read the Bible, read the Qur'an, and you'll understand these crazies a bit better.
It's not really our problem either. No of us get out of this life alive, and the time we have is short. We spend most of it fighting with each other which is the saddest part.
If the God you speak of is the God of the Old Testement, you can have him. He is no God. He is fallible, A god filled with HUMAN emotions, Hate and Jealousy, as much as what you call love and compassion. Moses is able to stay God's hand to keep him from smiting his own people. That shows God wasn't committed to his own actions. If he were infallible, his decisions would always be right regardless of what a "MAN" would think.
Which was written by said apples.
...and also, the land of Israel including the West Bank and Gaza Strip was promised to Abraham and his descendants, namely the line of Isaac, not Ishmael. So, these areas were not stolen, just possessed by Israel as the Almighty intended.
"Israeli attacks"......wrong again! these days one cant trust the media...it IS slanted!!!! Israel is defending itself, just like anyone else would do. And this comes after the very territory hamas is launching their attack from was given to them as a gesture toward peace...from ISRAEL!!! WAKE UP AMERICA..
It is good to see however that most of the posts on here are in the same mindset..whether Israel as a whole knows it yet or not...They ARE Gods chosen people and they will soon find themselves very alone in a corner and Jesus Christ will be waiting for their surrender with open, loving, and forgiving arms.