Ground War Starts

From the BBC:

"Israel starts Gaza ground offensive"

The Israeli military has begun a ground offensive against Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip, extending its 10-day-old Operation Protective Edge. It said it was in response to continued militant rocket fire and to strike a "significant blow to Hamas"which controls Gaza. Hamas said Israel would pay a high price for the ground offensive. There had been a five-hour humanitarian truce on Thursday, but exchanges of fire resumed when it ended. Some 230 Palestinians and one Israeli have died during the Operation Protective Edge period. In a statement, the Israel Defense Forces said: "Following 10 days of Hamas attacks by land, air and sea, and after repeated rejections of offers to de-escalate the situation, the IDF has initiated a ground operation within the Gaza Strip." It said the goal was to "establish a reality in which Israeli residents can live in safety and security without continuous indiscriminate terror, while striking a significant blow to Hamas' terror infrastructure".

Military spokesman Gen Moti Almoz said: "I ask the residents of Gaza to evacuate the areas in which the army is operating. This operation will be extended as much as necessary." Israel has approved the drafting of 18,000 more reservists. An intensive bombardment of Gaza by Israeli planes, artillery and ships has been taking place. Israeli media said one key aim of the ground offensive was to destroy tunnels that could be used to infiltrate militants into Israel.  An attempt by 13 militants to tunnel into Israel to attack a kibbutz on Wednesday had been thwarted by the Israeli military. The BBC's Kevin Connolly in Jerusalem says it is possible that with the ground invasion Israel is seeking to improve its military position in advance of any deal, but that more probably it has concluded that a ceasefire at the moment in unlikely. Israel says it has carried out more than 1,960 attacks on Gaza since 8 July, while militants have fired some 1,380 rockets at Israel.

^ I understand Israel's need to do a ground operation as the Palestinians didn't even respect the 5 hour cease-fire they agreed upon, The main concern is for the lives of the Israeli soldiers that now have to go into enemy territory and find all the tunnels and rocket sites. I know there are people who only focus on the Palestinians and how they are "suffering" but I consider them to be just like the Nazis during World War 2. The Germans, back then, voted Hitler into power and supported him blindly while he launched a war that killed millions upon millions of innocent people and terrorized people through bombing around Europe and northern Africa. The Palestinians, today, voted in Hamas knowing they are a terrorist organization and that they (Hamas) preached noting but violence and the complete destruction of Israel. The majority of Palestinians support the violence and bombing of Israel. You can't feel sorry for anyone in that situation (except for the children who have no say.) I would respect the Palestinians only if they kicked Hamas out of power and their voice to the world and rejected the violence that hasn't worked to get them their goal of a Palestinian State. The West Bank (which didn't vote in the Hamas terrorists) has seen some gains in their personal governance and freedom as well as a steady supply of food and materials. Although that may change as it looks like the West Bank is siding with Hamas and the Gaza Strip now. People and World Governments will only support a Palestinian State when they give -up their violence at Israel. Once the bombs, missiles and rockets stop for good then Israel and the world will have to start taking the Palestinians and their demands seriously. Until then they are open supporters of Islamist terrorism who need to be stopped and as usual it goes to Israel to stop them. ^

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-28359582