The Day After Gaza Is Declared "Hostile Territory"

Here are the summaries of 3 articles--courtesy of today's Daily Alert that give some perspective. One thing seems clear, Hamas is not taking this seriously

Will Olmert?

Palestinian Rocket Fire Continues
Palestinians in Gaza fired two Kassam rockets that struck near the Israeli town of Sderot on Thursday morning. Two Palestinian rockets also struck near the town on Wednesday night. (Jerusalem Post)

Rice: Hamas Is "a Hostile Entity to the United States" - Scott Wilson
On the first day of Secretary of State Rice's visit to Jerusalem to promote a U.S.-sponsored meeting of Israeli, Palestinian and regional leaders proposed for this year, she was asked if she supported Israel's decision to declare Gaza a "hostile entity" after near-daily Palestinian rocket fire into Israel. Rice said Hamas is "a hostile entity to the United States, as well." (Washington Post)

Israel Declares Gaza "Hostile Territory" - What Does It Mean? - Dan Izenberg
The Israeli government on Wednesday declared Gaza as "hostile territory," though there is no such concept in international law. A source explained that the term was not a legal concept but rather the description of a practical fact. The government is saying that Gaza has been hijacked by terrorists. It was essentially a warning notice to the world that Israel intends to treat Gaza differently than it has until now and to apply measures it has not used before. The government will apply three restraining principles to its decision. It won't carry out any measures immediately, it will give due consideration to the legality of every measure it wants to take, and it will not take measures that would lead to a humanitarian crisis in Gaza. (Jerusalem Post)

See also Gaza on War Footing after Israel Declares It "Enemy Entity" - Nidal al-Mughrabi
Hamas-run Gaza is bracing for a major incursion by Israeli forces after Israel labeled the territory an "enemy entity" on Wednesday. Masked gunmen crouch behind piles of sand, fingers on the triggers of their rifles, while others rig explosives along the streets of Gaza. Wearing brightly colored headbands, hundreds of militants have taken up positions along the border fence with Israel and in Gaza City, while ordinary people shovel sand into bags to use as barriers to block any invading troops. (Reuters)

Technorati Tag: Israel and Gaza and Hamas.