Ehud Barak said in parliament.
Broadening their targets to include the Hamas government in the Gaza Strip, Israeli warplanes bombed the Interior Ministry, which supervises 13,000 members of the group's security forces. The building had been evacuated and there were no casualties.
Hamas, an Islamist movement that took over the Gaza Strip in 2007 fired a rocket salvo into the Israeli city of Ashkelon, killing one person, the second such fatality since Israeli bombing began on Saturday.
Palestinian medical officials put the Gaza death toll at 313 and said more than 700 people have been wounded.
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency said at least 57 of the dead were civilians. It based the figure, which an UNRWA spokesman called "conservative," on visits by agency officials to hospitals and medical centers.
Oil prices rose above $40 a barrel on Monday, boosted by the weak dollar and violence between Israel and Hamas that served as a reminder of tensions that could threaten crude supplies from the Middle East.
Most Gazans in the densely populated enclave stayed at home, in rooms away from windows that could shatter in blasts from air strikes on Hamas facilities. Residents of southern Israel ran for shelter at the sound of alarms heralding incoming rockets.
"At no time could we leave the kids unattended. They trembled every time there was a bombing, day and night, and all of us had almost no sleep," said Umm Hassan, a mother of seven.
Mark Regev, a spokesman for Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, said the offensive would go on until the population in southern Israel "no longer live in terror and in fear of constant rocket barrages."
Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum has urged Palestinian groups to use "all available means" against Israel, including martyrdom operations" -- a reference to suicide bombings in a Palestinian uprising that erupted in 2000 but has since died down.
The Gaza operation and civilian casualties have enraged Arabs across the Middle East. Protesters burned Israeli and U.S. flags in several places to press for a stronger response from their leaders.
The U.N. Security Council called for a halt to the violence, but U.S. President George W. Bush's administration, in its final weeks in office, has put the onus on Hamas to renew the truce.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit said during a visit to Turkey that "Israel must stop its killing operations against Palestinians." He called for an immediate ceasefire.
In Lebanon Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah attacked the US for its bias for Israel. He also attacked some Arab regimes . He called for a third Intifada in Palestine and all the Arab states, in his speech to the protesters in support of the Palestinians in Gaza
Tuesday
05:14 The Army Arrested wanted criminals and confiscated 22 vehicles, ammunition and drugs in a raid in Beqaa valley
06:21 The Cabinet meeting will define the next move for Lebanon with regards to the Israeli attacks on Gaza
06:17 Lebanon is avoiding to become a party to the inter Arab divisions
06:15 Lebanon has been consulting with Arab leaders regarding participation in the Qatar summit
06:10 The cabinet will hold a meeting this morning at the Baabda Republican Palace
06:08 March 14 alliance is avoiding any response to Nasrallah to preserve the Lebanese unity
06:00 Ministerial sources: Lebanon is opposed to any Arab division and trying to work on this
ر
05:58 Several meetings are taking place to ensure a united Lebanese stance towards the developments in Gaza
05:43 Lebanon supports the attendance of the Arab Foreign ministers meeting on Wednesday in Cairo and FM Salloukh will represent Lebanon
Monday
23:49 "Arabiyeh": The headquarters of the Palestinian parliament in Gaza was hit by an Israeli Missile
23:12 Al Al Qassem brigade: Three Grad rockets were launched at the Israeli settlements of Nahal and Netifoot
22:59 Minister Qabbani told Future TV: The Army and the resistance realize that they have to spare Lebanon a battle with Israel and they plan to continue to work on ending the attack against Gaza
22:50 Israeli radio: Olmert, Livni and Barak are currently meeting to discuss the next step on Gaza and may decide to invade Gaza by land very soon
21:57 ANB: Hamas fires rockets at southern Israel . Israeli sources reported that 5 were wounded in Ashdod and 2 in Naha Aouz
21:45 New TV : Israeli raid on Eastern Gaza in response to the Hamas rocket attacks against Israel
21:30 Two were wounded in Ashdod Israel by Hamas Katyusha rockets
21:20 The EU Foreign Ministers to hold an emergency meeting tomorrow in Paris to discuss the situation in Gaza
20:59 PM Siniora will propose during tomorrow's cabinet meeting that Lebanon should work to assure maximum attendance of the Arab summit in support of Gaza
20:32 MP Takla told OTV: Nasrallah's speech showed a lot of self restraint. We hope Lebanon will agree to participate in the summit over the Gaza situation
20:25 Unifil official : We have been following our normal procedures, but we have intensified our patrols in south Lebanon to 400 daily with the cooperation of the Lebanese army . Our primary goal is to implement UNSCR 1701
20:20 U.N. Secretary General Ban ki-Moon urged world leaders to work for halting the aggression against Gaza.
20:16 MP Khazen told OTV: Hezbollah is cautious about giving Israel an excuse to attack Lebanon
20:10 The Israeli Army said it bombed a truck loaded with Hamas rockets in northern Gaza.
20:05 The White House said Israel does not intend to occupy Gaza.
20: 00 The Shafaa Hospital in Gaza was evacuated after reports that it would be targeted by an Israeli air raid.
19:50 German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Hamas is responsible for the escalation of violence in Gaza.
19:48 Two people were killed in an air raid against the residence of a Hamas official at Jabalia Refugee Camp.
19:20 MP Marwan Hamadah said the International tribunal is cornering the Syrian regime and this is why This regime is trying to free itself from this corner by opening up to Israel , by kissing the hands of the new US administration under Obama and by accepting whatever French president Sarkozy tells Assad to do . Hamadah warned about a Syrian-Israeli deal at Lebanon's expense and said Hezbollah and Hamas should be most concerned about such a deal
19:00 A hand grenade exploded in Tripoli's Baqqar district causing damage, but no casualties were reported.
18:40 President Michel Suleiman declared support for efforts to hold an urgent summit conference on Gaza. He expressed relief over the united Palestinian stance in Lebanon and regretted the lack of Arab solidarity. He called for a cabinet session on Tuesday
18:10 The goal of Israel's latest offensive on the Gaza Strip would be to topple its Hamas rulers, said Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Haim Ramon who had long pushed for a major ground offensive to end the Islamist group's control of Gaza.
17:36 The number of Palestinians killed in Gaza has risen to 345
17:25 The white House "In order for the violence to stop, Hamas must stop firing rockets into Israel and agree to respect a sustainable and durable ceasefire," said White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe. "That is the objective which all parties need to be working toward. This is what the United States is working toward," Johndroe said
17:20 The Change and reform Parliamentary Bloc called for a unified and decisive stand on the Israeli aggression against Gaza and for speeding up investigations to find out who had deployed the Katyusha missiles in south Lebanon.
17:19 Four Palestinians killed when a Israeli aircraft raided the house of a Hamas leader
17:13 Twelve Palestinians killed in northern Gaza raids
16:12 Israeli aircraft are bombarding now northern Gaza
16:10 Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah told the Raya Demonstration: Lebanese official position must be in solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza. He attacked The US bias for Israel. He also called for a third Intifada in Palestine and all the Arab states
16:00 The Number of casualties in Gaza has risen to 320
15:15: Hezbollah demonstration at Raya Football field at southern suburb of Beirut in solidarity with Gaza.
15:00 : March 14 Secretariat General called for confronting the Israeli aggression by working on an immediate cease fire, regaining unity of Palestinian legitimacy, holding on to the Arab peace process and rejecting axis policies.
14:20 A meeting was held at the Grand Serail between PM Siniora and PLO representatives Abbas Zaki and Hamas representative Osama Hamdan on the other to discuss ways to offer aid to the Palestinians.
11:40 Justice Minister Ibrahim Najjar to LBC: Efforts to reach agreement on Constitutional Council appointments in cabinet could develop positively between today and tomorrow.
11:15 Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblatt visited Bkirki to relay Christmas greetings to Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir.
10:33 The army’s operation in al-Kneisseh is ongoing and expanded to include the towns of Riha and Dar al-Waseh in the northern Bekaa. The military arrested fifteen wanted criminals so far and seized arms depots and stolen cars.
10:31 The Lebanese army has raised its level of readiness to 85 percent since Saturday.
8:53 MP Farid al-Khazen told VOL: Israel is taking advantage of the time wasted by Arabs in order to take a stance. The situation in south Lebanon is under control... Lebanon is non-aligned on attacks
8:47 Army troops surrounded the Bekaa town of al-Kneisseh and raided the house of Nouh Zoaiter who is wanted by Lebanese authorities.
8:00 MP Mustafa Alloush to VDL: There is no need to agitate the Egyptian people against their government at a time when calls for Arab unity are needed. He added "Lebanon usually pays price of regional repercussions"
07:18 Israeli official television reports that captive IDF soldier Gilad Shalit is injured in Israeli air strikes on Gaza.
07:14 Israel strikes the Palestinian Interior Ministry headquarter in the Gaza Strip.
Sunday
22:00 Hezbollah's Sheikh Hassan Ezzeddine: Just Hezbollah defeated the objectives of the July 2006 war and the plan for a new Middle east, The Palestinians in Gaza will defeat any plot to end the Palestinian issue
21:40 Two male bodies and an injured female were found in a beach-side chalet on the seaside road of Halat-Jbeil on Sunday evening.
21:00 Hezbollah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah called for a mass rally in support of Gaza at 3:00pm Monday in south Beirut. The enemy might launch some sort of an action against Lebanon and are ready he declared. He indicated that Israel and "its agents" might be behind deploying the rockets in Naqoura area. He said only the resistance would protect our rights. Nasrallah launched an attack against Egypt and the Egyptians to rise against their government . He also urged the Egyptian army forces to urged their leaders to open the crossing to Gaza. He called the Israeli aggression on Gaza a "new Kerbalaa"
19:20 Hezbollah MP Hassan Fadlallah : "What is happening in Gaza is very dangerous . We support the Palestinians and their resistance and are hopeful that as we were victorious in 2006 Hamas will be victorious in this war "
19:12 Official Syrian source: What is happening in Gaza shuts the door against and peace talks between Syria and Israel
19:00 The Future Movement called on all Lebanese factions to be aware of the current regional danger and to uphold their responsibility to protect Lebanon from danger. The movement also called for “the largest” campaign to support the Palestinian population during their crisis. Future also called on the international community and the UN Security Council to act quickly to stop the Israeli attack against the Palestinians. The movement also called on Hamas and Fatah, to reconcile their differences which it said facilitated Israel’s “terrorist and bloody” attacks
18:49 Relief supplies to the Gaza Strip through the Rafah crossing have just started arriving
18:42 Damascus-based Hamas chief, Khaled Meshaal, told Libyan President Muammar al-Gaddafi that “the only request from the Palestinian people is to stop the Israeli massacres in the Gaza Strip.”
18:40 clashes between Israeli police and The Arabs of 1948 who are demonstrating in the villages of Umm al-Fahm and Kfarckana against the Gaza attacks
18:35 Egyptian Foreign Ministry spokesman Hussam Zaki strongly condemned the protests in front of the Egyptian embassy in Beirut and said the demonstrators have the wrong address
18:32 Hussain Rahhal, spokesman of Hezbollah : What is happening in Gaza is not directed against Hamas but it is a plot for a new area under the control of Israel following the failure of the US and some Arab countries are a party to this plot
18:03 Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni calls on the international community to support the Israeli military operation in the Gaza strip “which intends to change the situation and return calm.”
17:20 AP: A Syrian source told the Associated Press Damascus has decided to suspend its indirect talks with Israel over the Gaza aggression.
17:20 Two killed and 20 injured during Israeli strikes on Egypt-Gaza border tunnels.
17:15 Israel pounds tunnels linking Gaza to Egypt.
17:10 The Hamas health ministry said the Israeli air raids on Gaza have killed at least 300 people and wounded 1000.
17:07 PM Siniora received a phone call from U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice during which they discussed the Gaza situation.
17:06 Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri urged Arab counterparts to hold an urgent meeting to discuss the Gaza situation.
16:52 Al-Jazeera reports demonstrators break into the area surrounding London’s Israeli embassy.
16:51 Violent demonstrations take place close to the Israeli embassy in London to protest against Gaza attack.
16:48 Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa says press release issued by UN Security Council is insufficient, despite calling for an end to all military operations.
16:41 British Foreign Secretary David Miliband calls for an urgent ceasefire and immediate halt to all violence in Gaza.
16:40 Jordanian King Abdullah II: The Israeli attack on the Gaza Strip should stop immediately. Violence will not achieve security for Israel and it will not bring peace to the region.
16:38 LAF and UNIFIL intensified security measures south of the Litani River on Sunday to prevent anyone exploiting the issue outside of the framework of expressing condemnation of the Israeli attack on the Gaza Strip.
16:23 Israeli forces expand the attack against Gaza and are now bombing the Palestinians from the southern side of Gaza near Rafah gate
16:18 Anti-riot unit of Internal security forces added reinforcement around the Egyptian Embassy when the protesters starting rioting , set up road blocks , set tires on fire and attacked the security forces
16:06 PM Siniora decided to set up a working committee to help the people of Gaza which will include PLO's Abbas Zaki, Hamas' Osama Hamdan, Health Minister Mohammad Khalife . The committee will be based at the Serail and will coordinate efforts with the Red Cross
15:39 New TV: Protestors block the road in front of the Beirut Arab University in Beirut with burning tires. ISF officers use smoke bombs to separate the demonstrators.
15:37 several were wounded in clashes between security forces and demonstrators in front of the Egyptian embassy in Bir Hassan, Beirut
15:20 Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum announced from Gaza the group's refusal to statements made by Abu Mazen ( President Mahmoud Abbas) and Egyptian Foreign Minister Abu Gheit, which held Hamas responsible for the attacks and called on Hamas to execute martyrdom operations, meaning suicide bombings
