Israel drops leaflets on Gaza

Yesterday, the seventh day of the conflict, Israel dropped leaflets across several districts of Gaza City, urging people to evacuate their homes immediately and move towards Gaza City Centre.  The leaflets also gave directions of which roads to use.


Although they gave no reason for the instruction, Israel pledged that everyone who complied with the order would be safe.  "This is a temporary confrontation, in the end, everyone will go home" it read.  "In keeping with Israel Defence Force regulations, all civilians will be kept from harm's way."


As the leaflets were dropped from the air, Hamas militants fired a rocket towards Jerusalem which landed 5 kilometres south of the city, sending residents running for cover.

Israeli women take cover in stairwell as sirens sound

Israel has to decide whether to send troops in or agree to an Egyptian cease-fire agreement being organized by Hamas and Israeli officials in Cairo.  Yesterday they decided to postpone a ground operation "to give diplomacy a chance to succeed."

Israeli soldier looks for survivors

Meanwhile, six men accused of being Israeli spies were dragged through the streets of Gaza City and executed in front of a chanting mob today.

They were accused of providing intelligence which helped Israel pinpoint key Hamas leaders.  These precision attacks have left 118 Palestinians dead and half of those were women and children.

Hamas radio said the men had been caught red handed with hi-tech filming equipment.  The body of one of the alleged spies was chained to a motor bike and dragged through the main streets of Gaza as a warning to others.

British Foreign Secretary William Hague said "There is no military resolution to the crisis in Gaza or to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The only way to give the Palestinian people the state that they need and deserve, and the Israeli people the security and peace they are entitled to, is through a negotiated two-state solution and time for this is now running out."