Jerusalem: Israel today massed hundreds of tanks in expectation of a land strike on the Gaza Strip as fighters jets continued their blanket bombings of Hamas targets for the third day today, raising the toll of Palestinians killed to 315.

Amidst no let up in the fury and intensity of attacks even in the face of growing international calls for halt to the violence, Defence Minister Ehud Barak warned that Israel was in an "all-out war against Hamas". "We have nothing against Gaza residents, but we are engaged in an all-out war against Hamas and its proxies," he said, indicating that a ground strike could be in the offing any time. Barak said the Israelis were left with no other options as Hamas had spurned "stretched hands in peace many times".

Israeli defence minister, whose political career is said to be at stake, told the Parliament in a special session today thatthe Jewish statewas not fighting the residents of Gaza "but we have a war to the bitter end against Hamas and its branches." Barak said Israel would extend and increase its military operation in the Gaza Strip until all the goals were achieved. He told a stormy Knesset session,that the operation will be "widened and deepened as is necessary."

Amid intensification of the Israeli offensive, the West Bank-based Palestinian Authority (PA) led by President Mahmoud Abbas has decided to put on hold peace talks with the Jewish state. "There are no negotiations and there is no way there could be negotiations while there are attacks against us," Chief Palestinian negotiator, former Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia, told reporters.

Source : PTI