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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.
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The picture tells a different story. The empty foundations in the picture are not buildings that were bombed out only a few short hours ago.
Any other country on this planet on the receiving end of the Iranean made rockets (which have been fired into civilian areas within Israel) would have gone to "full scale war" against the country or "entity" which launched them from the very first rocket attack. No one in the civilized world can blame Israel for undertaking the operations which they must do very soon!
Any other country on this planet on the receiving end of the Iranean made rockets (which have been fired into civilian areas within Israel) would have gone to "full scale war" against the country or "entity" which launched them from the very first rocket attack. No one in the civilized world can blame Israel for undertaking the operations which they must do very soon!
I dont blame the Arabs one bit. We were totally wrong to help Israel steal that land from the Arab people, and thousands and thousands of deaths are on our hands because we did.
You can make all the excuses you want, but the facts are the facts. We went in there and forcibly took that land and then armed Israel with far superior weaponry. Israel had no more claim to that land than we do. The ONLY reason we supported Israel, is because the Palestinians were Muslim, and the Jews were friendly with Christians. And its still the reason we support Israel. PATHETIC. If there is a god, I hope he makes you pay for every childs life. Every one.
What? If you want a who was there first argument it sure as heck wasn't the Palestinians. Don't believe the bilge put out by NBC. War sucks and your vain attempt at guilt is BS. Every time Israel was attacked in the previous wars, the attacker lost. This is what happens when you start wars and lose. You lose territory. Most "losers" got over it and grew from the experience - Japan, Germany to name two. The Muslim states seem to think a loss is justification for ongoing terrorism. All attempts at peaceful negotiations have been met with hostility from Hamas. You don't get sympathy for blowing up buses. Let me guess - you grasp of history and middle east realities would fit in a thimble. Typical "Hipster"...
Notfreedom- You earned your stupid card. Thanks for playing
vetvent-Is this 1940? Really? Do we need a history lesson, or can we deal with facts? They fired rockets and they fired back. Apples to apples here. Someone shoots at you and your children, and you have the means to protect them, basically, you will not do what is necessary to protect them? You are going to worry about others?
vetvent Germany lost most of its territory in WWI which Hitler took back in WWII and lost most of it after being defeated by the allies. Then the country of Germany was divided into four sections, eventually becoming two (East and West Germany) until the fall of the USSR (or was it?). The Germany of today is much smaller than the territory it had before World War 1. Lets also not forget the Ottoman Empire which ended after WWI, and many other empires that fell. I don't believe either side has a legitimate claim to the territory since it has just about been conquered by every major empire in history from the British to the Romans, the Persian, Babylonians, Assyrians, Syrians, Canaanites, Egyptians etc.
When your neighbors profess to your destruction, what should you do? Someone please tell me. When terrorist fire white phosphorus motor rounds at civilians what should you do? When basically everyone around you wants you dead. What should you do?
If Israel was wiped off the map, these folks would be at each others throats and the Islamic sects would be butchering each other. They seem incapable of practicing the "religion of peace". Meanwhile American media is showing it's bias once again. Will Chris Matthews get a thrill seeing murder and mayhem in Israel?
When you steal land, what do you expect.
When are people going to acknowledge the Israeli's are on stolen land? And thats what the last 70 years of death is from. And we caused it.
When one launches rockets on a population what do you expect... A thank you??? Two dumba$$ cards for you. Moron..
When the Israelis were attacked by vastly greater Muslim forces in 1948 and emerged victorious, it was a miracle. It happened again in 1967 and 1973. It was clearly the will of Allah each time, that Israel should win! And yet, the Muslims just can't seem to accept what Allah is trying to tell them, which is: Stop attacking Israel!
The land Israel is on was theirs long before the name "Palestine" was ever invented!
The Palestinian Arabs are indistinguishable from all of the other Arabs in the Middle East and have no exclusive claim to the land of Israel.
By the way, Freedom4Everyone, since you claim that the Israelis "stole" their own land, did the land which your house sits on originally belong to your ancestors or was it taken away at one point in the past from the native people who were once there?
THANK YOU Kannin!!!!
Organized religion will eventually cause the extinction of the human race. It's just a matter of time. But don't feel bad. Likely nearly every sentient race never matures out of it's childhood. Why else would the sky be so barren of radio signals from intelligent extraterrestial life? What else can be expected when all life follows the dictate of eat other life or be eaten? Perhaps the Universe is NOT a friendly place as much as people would wish it to be. Intelligent life is probably not the real miracle in the Universe. It's probably the extremely rare conditions where space colonization wins out over nuclear war.
The only reason Israel hasn't taken care of business is because we pay them not to. They have the right to defend themselves. We lost a building in NYC and see what our response was? Israel is being too sympathetic to a fault. There is no solution but for the annihilation of Hamas. They know it. We know it.
GO ISRAEL GO. Israel has been picked on and picked on and picked on, seriously are you people that daft you can't see it. Gaza belongs to Israel not those stinkin terrorist. Oh and guess what God is on Israel's side. Palentineians lose. Ha
God Bless Israel
Amen!
lmao
Just end this once and for all, i don't really care which side wins, just make sure the other is completely eliminated and be done with it...
Hezbollah is firing rockets at Israel, Israel is firing missiles back and sending air strikes and massing troops at the border. Civilians are dieing on both sides. But here is an interesting fact. During WWII the US launched campaign after campaign of carpet bombings throughout Europe and Japan destroying homes, factories, sea ports, military installations. Then the US even dropped two atomic bombs on Japan causing untold damage to everything in the blast radius. Guess what? Millions of civilians were killed throughout the entire war. Every war has civilian casualties. Now according to several previous posts it is clear that throughout history the territory now known as Israel has changed hands several hundred times. From the canaanites, to the assyrians, the persians, the babylonians, the egyptians, the romans, the english, and the list goes on and on. Therefore in my own opinion no single group today can lay claim to the territory. Both sides need to come back to the table and negotiate peace because neither side is winning. But the Islamic fundamentalists will continue to waive the Quran calling for the destruction of Israel and swaying the uneducated to join their side and sacrifice their lives for Allah and peace will never have a chance. What I don't understand is, if Allah hates the Jews, and calls for their destruction, why did he create them in the first place, and why can't he do it himself? I would assume a god would have the power to destroy what he created. Are these people so ignorant they can't figure that out themselves? Now there are only a few solutions to the problem that I see. Either genocide (which shouldn't be an option in the first place but Iran seems to be in favor of it) or the entire territory could be taken over by a neutral oppressor (China?), the Jews could all relocate to the US bringing all of its military technology with it and equipment that the US paid for, giving the territory to the palestinians to fight over and kill themselves over (The Shias and the Sunnis have been doing this for hundreds of years and the most recent example is Iraq after Saddam Hussein was overthrown by the US), or last but not least (my idea) the palestinians could concede any rights to the land, either join Israel or Egypt (Gaza Strip) or Israel or Jordan (West Bank) get citizenship for the country they choose to join, and finally get on with their lives and stop the bloodshed. But this is only a fable. The region will always be at war. Either Muslims against Jews, or Muslims against Muslims, or Muslims against Christians, or Muslims against other religious beliefs. Kinda similar to Ireland and England with Catholics v Protestants.
This is the last straw for Israel. The world is fed up with their land theft and murder. God will not keep allowing them to kill His babies. Israel you WILL be punished soon. God hates murders.
Really! Show me where in the bible where He said He hated murders. What He did say was He hated evil.
@Lauralee Hensley. Bitch you need to shut the @!$%# up. What the @!$%# do you really know about God and religion? All you know is what has been spoon fed to you by your bible thumping idiotic parents who tried to brain wash your inbred arse. First of all... christianity was not the first religion on Earth. Google the Mithras. Second go to youtube and do a search for the Zietgiest Video. Lastly, Do a google or youtube search for The Fibonaci Equation or the Golden number equation otherwise known as PHI. People like you are a scourge upon the human race. STFU! already you @#$%% bitch.
For all the apologist saying throwing random rockets because the Palestinians are oppressed,I ask you how is that going to improve their situation?It doesn't.The same idiot commenter's will later be writing about the innocent Palestinians killed by Israeli retaliation,forgetting to mention the innocent Israelis killed by the rockets.
It's the Obama way.. Media still resides in his bed. Has he addressed this situation yet? Oh wait, he's still dealing with the East coast... Ah, or is he? I don't know. What is FEMA? Sorry, last time I checked, doesn't build houses, turn on power or comfort/protect people. Apparently, golfing does...
It is difficult for a Westerner to accept the depths of duplicity and violence in the Palestinian culture. This fact is frequently exploited by their propagandists when they try to excuse a Palestinian act of horrific cruelty by posting, “it must have been Western injustice that drove him/her to such lengths.” In fact, acts of horrific cruelty are everyday occurrences in their society. We must understand that the values of the Palestinians are fundamentally different from those of civilized countries like Israel and the US. There are thousands of examples of this difference, but one, in particular, illustrates the contrast very well:
The Palestinians put a suicide bomb vest on a mentally handicapped Palestinian teenager, Hussam Abdo. Instead of simply shooting him at the border, the Israelis helped him disarm the vest and saved his life. The life that the Palestinians had just tried to destroy. I think that US or European soldiers would have been merciful, too.
It is far more important than posturing or politics to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the nations, like Israel, who share our core values.
Israel was supposed to start bombing Iran. Instead Iran paid the terrorists in Palestine to create a war to divert the attacks. Now Palestinian civilians are paying for this with their lives.
People open your eyes, Israel is responding to a terror threat the way any sovereign natioin would. Israel is home to God's people. I will always support Israel just as any true believer would.
GO GO IDF!!! YAY!!!
Kannin,
I wasn't even close to take the time to explain land properties (like math to a liberal), but I am appreciative that someone did..
In modern times the Brits had responsibility for the entire region (The British Mandate) and decided in 1947 that they would give up the Mandate for partition by the UN. The UN (as we all know) did so and created the modern state of Israel, which the Jews there accepted. They also created the much larger state of Jordan, which the Arabs there rejected.
The fact is that the (modern) historical inhabitants of Palestine were a mixture of Arabs, Jews, Turks, Europeans, Bedouins and many others. All of them have just as much right to call themselves "Palestinian" as the Muslim Arabs who organized a little club in the late 1960's (led by an Egyptian) and just appropriated the name "Palestinian."
The Israelis are just as much Palestinian as the Gazans and have just as much right to settle there.
Actually, they have more right to settle there since the citizenry of Israel encompasses all of the ethnic groups and religions that were the traditional inhabitants of Palestine. By contrast, those in Gaza and the West Bank have practiced "ethnic cleansing" to rid themselves of everyone but Arab Muslims.
Of course, if you go way back in history, Israel simply belonged to the Jews. Modern Israel is much more tolerant.
These rockets raining down on Israel are mass-produced by Iran. The Iranians got them from the North Koreans initially and set up factories to mass-produce them and has been shipping them to Hamas, Hezbolah, Palestinians and Syrians. You can't kill the grass by mowing the lawn. You must get at the roots. Seems the Muslims aren't content just killing each other like they've been doing for centuries. Now and then, they have to put their eye in Israel's fist. Then, after a while, those that are left go back to killing each other just to stay frosty.
If we want to blame someone, blame god! Surely, in his infinite wisdom, he could resolve this and get both peoples to sit down at the table together to come to a solution....yeah, right...sounds just like the wackos in the Tea Party Stateside preferring the cliff to a solution to our national deficit, while the opposition stares in dis-belief and wonder at the refusal of the Tea Party to provide an equitable solution of their own, other than secession.....
Level Gaza and drive the Palestinians out of Israel and into Iran. Iran is a big country. Let them give the Palestinians some their land.
I'm Catholic, But I'll stand up for Jewish People.
Israel doesn't bother anyone, yet the Arabs will never seem to accept Israel as part of the Middle East.
After several conflicts and treaties, Israel gave land for Palestine to exist and yet that doesn't stop the Arabs from causing trouble.
Israel permits people of other faiths to coexist and live peacefully in Israel, but again that's not enough for the Arabs.
We know that those who are responsible for Hamas, Hezbollah represent a small portion of the Arab Moslem world and many innocent Arabs & Israelis are killed.
Israel has the right to exist, and defend against aggression, so leave Israel alone!
lookingforprettyisraeligirls.com
George you are not a very good catholic then. God hates war and killing. Catholics know this and should do all they can to stop the killing of innocent people. Revelation says the anti-christ will be of Hebrew origin. Could this be the make believe jew from eastern europe that wrote his own bible the talmud? The talmud says mary was a whore raped by a carpenter and gave birth to a defiled son that they hung on a tree. Rev.2-9 says beware of the man calling himself a jew who is not a jew, satan has his synogoge. Learn who these Israeli's really are. Money is their God. Do Gods chosen people become one of the biggest suppliers in the world for weapons? I don't think God likes that business. God bless.
Where in the bible does it show that GOD hates war?
This Shout-Out goes to parkerjoe56, the Jehovah Witness Militant,
I never said, I was a good Catholic, and I don't believe Wars solve anything, just that innocent people get killed in the crossfire.
Israel has the right to exist, and defend against Aggression.
You describe yourself as a Jew Hater, maybe you, Hitler, Mel Gibson & Charlie Sheen are good friends?
The Holy Trinity preaches to love thy Family, thy Neighbor & the less fortunate, and not Hatred.
You probably don't have any Jewish friends, which explains your ignorance.
Sign up again for Sunday School, since you didn't get it right the first time.
Father Guido Sarducci@The Vatican.com
Go Cornhuskers!
Jews hate all gentiles. Arabs just happen to be the ones owning property in the so called promised land. Here is what Israel's chief rabbi say about non-jews: "The sole purpose of non-Jews is to serve Jews". He said that Gentiles served a divine purpose: "Why are Gentiles needed? They will work, they will plow, they will reap. We will sit like an effendi and eat. That is why Gentiles were created.In Israel, death has no dominion over them... With gentiles, it will be like any person – they need to die, but [God] will give them longevity. Why? Imagine that one’s donkey would die, they’d lose their money. This is his servant... That’s why he gets a long life, to work well for this Jew."
"Gentiles were born only to serve us. Without that, they have no place in the world – only to serve the People of Israel."
Where do you Clowns come from?
Ramona-2231097puta,
Another Puerto Rican Player-Hater with a chip on their shoulder from the Bronx.
Oye Chico, Pass the Rice and Beans, and shut-up, You need to be more like Roberto Clemente, care about other people and stop whining.
LuisMunozMarin.com
Hey Travan,
That is a very interesting theory; Iran throwing Gaza under the bus! Nevertheless, consider this a “tune-up” for the possible/probable future. G-D, help us all!!
There are a few things yet to happen as I understand it. The Mosc is still standing over the Wailling Wall. The Cinigog (sp) has not been built, and than there's that pesky thing about some dude who is found of the number 6, and a couple or so of other minor events to happen. Also there are changes in the weather, like bigger stormes. I would venture a guess that a 1,000 mi wide Hurricane qualifies for starters.
As for Iran, after checking, they seam to only barely have enough material to make a bomb, maybe today will be their lucky day. Than there is that problem of how do you test it without the whole World knowing. Until they test one they have no idea if their bomb making capabilities are any good. I'm betting they will be successful.