On Thursday Prime Minister Olmert issued a last minute appeal to Palestinians in Gaza to reject their Hamas rulers and stop rocket fire at Israel. He warned them Israel would not hesitate to use force.
Defense Minister Ehud Barak has approved the opening of the crossing points into the Gaza Strip on Friday. Humanitarian aid and fuel will be allowed to enter the territory. The decision followed a consultation with senior defense officials and a request by foreign governments and international organizations.
The cabinet and senior government officials will continue their deliberations Sunday on implementing the security cabinet decision on Gaza. The discussions will focus on the political aspects of a military action as well as ways to prevent a humanitarian crisis.
Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni briefed Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Defense Minister Barak on her talks Thursday in Cairo with President Hosni Mubarak and other Egyptian officials.
After a relatively quiet Thursday, rocket attacks from Gaza resumed Thursday afternoon, with a Grad Katyusha rocket landing south of Ashkelon, and a Kassam rocket falling near a kibbutz in the western Negev. Three rockets also landed near Kibbutz Sha'ar Hanegev, and a mortar shell struck the Erez border crossing. No casualties or damage were reported.
IDF Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi declared that the army is ready to act with all its might to restore security in the south. Addressing a pilots graduation ceremony in Hatzerim, Ashkenazi said the current situation cannot continue, and we will need to use all our might to hit the terrorist infrastructure and create a new secure situation.
President Shimon Peres, on a visit to Sderot, said that if the people in Gaza want to live in peace, there is a simple thing they can do: Stop shooting!
By REKA Israel
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