Smoke billows as an Israeli flare lights up the town of Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip. The heaviest fighting of Israel's war on Hamas raged in Gaza City early on Tuesday as the Israeli government parried appeals to stop the death toll from mounting further. (AFP/Patrick Baz)From The Guardian:
• Officials push for regime change
• Islamist party 'fatally damaged'
• Both sides reject calls for ceasefire
Israeli intelligence and military officials are increasingly pushing for the assault on Gaza to continue until it assures the eventual downfall of Hamas amid assertions that the 10 days of military bombardment have crippled the Islamist party's ability to govern.
As the onslaught progresses, officials are more confident of "changing the equation" in Gaza and are predicting the collapse of the Hamas administration.
Last night, Israeli forces bombed the centre of Gaza, and there were reports of intense clashes with Hamas fighters on the edge of the city. But the fighting and the occupation of parts of the north and centre of the Gaza Strip did not stop Hamas from firing more than 40 rockets into Israel.
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