Tzipi Livni has made it clear that a wholesale attack on Gaza has begun. The first day killed more than 200, mainly police and civilians including children. There are demonstrations on the streets all over the middle east.

The attack has been focused on the Gaza police, not on active Hamas members, and there is speculation that this is to maximise disorder as a precondition for some kind of "regime change".

The extent to which Eygypt gave the green light to an attack against Hammas is also being asked.

Mustafa Barghouthi, former Palestinian information minister

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Quote :

Israel is not targeting Hamas alone. Israel is targeting the whole Palestinian population, which has left 200 families with dead sons, husbands and fathers. "Gaza is left today with nothing, no bread, no oil, electricity and medication even to treat the injured people.

"This criminal attack is directed at the will of the Palestinian people. It's an effort to break the Palestinian demand for freedom, independence and justice.

"Israel is responsible for this escalation. There was a ceasefire that everybody respected, including Hamas, and it was Israel that violated that ceasefire ... to prepare the ground for this bloodshed which Israeli politicians are using as their form of competition in the Israeli elections.

"This is a criminal act, unprecedented, unacceptable and Israel would not have dared to go this far if it were not for the silence of the international community at these inhuman crimes.

"It's impossible to equate Hamas with Israel. All the rockets Hamas have shot have not killed a single Israeli till today.

"During the same year of the so-called Annapolis peace process, Israel killed 546 Palestinians, including 76 children, more than half of them in the West Bank.

"The aggression is from one side. Israel has probably the fourth-largest military in the world, it is the fourth-largest military-exporter in the world, it has nuclear heads.

"Today, it used 60 sophisticated jet fighters in Gaza who have nothing to defend themselves with.

"Israel wants this escalation to break the backbone of the Palestinian people, but they won't break us."

Israeli statements constantly reiterate claims of Iranian links with Hammas.

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2008/12/200812279451509662.html

Hamas was elected as the Palestinian Legislative Council in 2005. A cease fire ended December 19th - Eygypt was involved in negotiations. Hamas had resumed rocket attacks ( I think ).

The US have issued a statement which effectively approves the attack.