Israel fails to capture Gaza City
rhsukarsa
12 Jan 2009 -- Israel has failed to capture Gaza City despite sending thousands of reserve soldiers to invade the city, a Press TV correspondent reports.
Israeli troops and tanks which have been trying to enter the Gaza City are still engaging resistance fighters and have not succeeded to sweep into the city Press TV correspondent Akram al-Satarri reported.
On Sunday, thousands of Israeli reservists backed by tanks and helicopter gunships attacked eastern Gaza city, facing a strong resistance from Palestinian fighters.
On Monday, heavy clashes between the Palestinian fighters and Israeli forces are going on in East and South of the Gaza City.
Palestinian forces are fiercely fighting Israeli troops in Hay al-Zaytoun neighborhood in eastern Gaza, preventing them from penetrating inside the city.
Plums of smoke have darkened Gaza sky on 17th day of the US-backed Israeli onslaught on the besieged region as the Israeli army continues shelling and air strikes in the city.
Israeli massive bombing campaign of the besieged Gaza Strip which started on December 27, and its later ground offensive has so far killed at least 900 Palestinians and wounded 4000 others, most of them women and children.
Gazans have been suffering from a tight Israeli blockade a short time after the Hamas movement -- which does not recognize Israel as a legitimate state-- won an overwhelming victory in 2006 parliamentary elections.
Israel launched the military campaign against the impoverished coastal strip after a recent Israeli National Security Council assessment urged Tel Aviv to hinder "elections in the Palestinian Authority” because the upcoming elections in the Palestinian Authority might lead to Hamas victory. (MSH/DT @PRESS TV)
