lost a key leader too in another airstrike.
Hamas lost Nizar Rayan who died with his four wives and nine of his twelve children. A total of 18 people were killed in airstrike
Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades lost today Imad Akl according to Lebanese Future TV.
A day before he was killed Rayan ( or Rayyan) has predicted victory for Hamas.
It appears this time Israel is trying to avoid a repeat of the Lebanon war mistakes . Israel is setting preconditions for any ceasefire to make sure Hamas will not be able to fire any more rockets. Israel is therefore trying to make sure that Hamas does not declare a victory like Hezbollah did in 2006
Saturday
02:15 The Arab ministerial delegation will head to the UN tomorrow
Friday
23:37 One Palestinian was killed in Israeli raid in North Gaza
23:14 Egypt is talking to Hamas about ceasefire in Gaza
22:53 France: Sarkozy will visit Lebanon for several hours . The schedule for Sfeir's visit to France has not been firmed up
22:48 Peace Coordinator of UN chief: The Arab ministerial delegation will bring along specific suggestions to the UN
22:46 Bush will meet with UN chief Ban-Ki Moon Tuesday
22:43 Russia's Sultanov will head to the Middle east on Sunday
22:24 A French citizen committed suicide in the tourist complex of Bawar
21:15 Hezbollah's Nasrallah : "The steadfastness of the resistance in Gaza is a proof of its victory and the betting by some Arab regimes that the resistance will be defeated will fail". He attacked the Arab countries and criticized the Arab ministerial delegation for delaying their trip to the UN till Monday and also criticized the Arab countries for waiting 5 days to hold the ministerial.
20:56 Hezbollah's ally Gen. Aoun , like Nasrallah is certain the resistance in Gaza will be victorious and criticized the positions taken by the Arab governments over the Israeli Gaza offensive
19:06 ANB TV: PLO representative in Lebanon Abbas Zaki survived a major accident on the Rachayya el Wadi Road
18:50 Lebanon files: Reliable diplomatic sources are predicting a delay in the elections. The sources claim that the delay will be caused by the regional allies of the Iranian and Syrian-backed Hezbollah led opposition for fear of losing the elections , because the projected results of the elections indicate that the existing parliamentary membership distribution may not change and if it does it will be a matter of +/- 1 to 7 MPs
18: 50 Six people were killed in Israeli airstrike of Gaza's main coastal road.
18: 40 The White House said Israel is acting in self defense and Hamas should halt the launching of rockets.
18:10 Israeli warplanes raid Palestinian houses near Rafah.
18:00 Lebanese medical aid to Gaza will be sent on Saturday
17:50 Israeli gunboats renew their shelling of Gaza.
17:47 Israeli warplanes bombard Rafah and the central region of Gaza
17:42 In Turkey protesters burn Israeli flags after Friday prayer
17: 40 U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is providing the Palestinians in Gaza with humanitarian aid, especially in terms of food and medical supplies. USAID delivers aid through partners in the region and is looking for ways to support the delivery of aid from the U.N. World Food Program.
17:40 The Lebanese security forces close all roads leading to the Egyptian embassy in Beirut
17:38 A clash in Tripoli between security forces and Gaza offense protesters
17:37 Army command; six Israeli plane violated Lebanese airspace
17: 30 U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said efforts are underway for an immediate cease fire that does not allow Hamas to launch rockets.
16:49 Israeli police arrests 21 leftist activists that were protesting against the Israeli offensive against Gaza
16:23 Thousands are protesting in Afghanistan cities against the Israeli offensive against Gaza
16:20 The Arab parliamentary delegations have started departing from Lebanon after participation in yesterday's Tyre conference over Gaza
15:39 3 children were killed in an Israeli airstrike east of Khan Younes in Gaza
14:50 The death toll from the Israeli offensive on Gaza rose to 430 as 2250 people were wounded.
14:31 Al Jazeera: Egyptian authorities prevent protests following the Friday prayer "الجزيرة": السلطات المصرية تمنع التظاهرات عقب صلاة الجمعة
14:40 NNA: Anti-Israel demonstrators engaged in a fistfight in the northern city of Tripoli. The army dispersed the crowds and arrested one protestor.
14:35 Clash of Israeli Defense Forces continues with Palestinian protesters in the West Bank and Jerusalem.
14:30 Three children were killed in an Israeli air raid on the town of Qarara in southern Gaza.
14:25 Future TV: Reports that Imad Akl from Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades was killed in the Israeli raid.
14:20 MP Saad Hariri said after meeting French President Nicolas Sarkozy that France seeks to stop massacres in Gaza and backs the international tribunal.
13:56 Al-Arabiya: An Israeli raid targeted the home of Imad Akl, an official from Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades.
13:53 PM Siniora stressed the importance of keeping Lebanon non-aligned in the Gaza crisis because Israel was attempting to drag Lebanon into the conflict . He affirmed that Lebanon’s stance was united toward the Palestinian cause and toward Arab efforts to reach an immediate ceasefire, open the borders and implement the Arab Peace Initiative.
13:50 Al-Arabiya: Clashes in Amman between police and protestors.
13:45 Al-Arabiya: Israeli gunboats bomb the Gaza Strip.
13:30 Al-Jazeera: Palestinians hold demonstrations in Ramallah after Friday prayers in support of Gaza.
13:18 Israel dropped thousands of fliers over Gaza, urging Palestinians to report to Israeli authorities the location of militants firing rockets.
"Rocket launchers and terrorist elements constitute a risk for you and your families," said the flier in Arabic.
13:15 Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea is meeting with a Maronite League delegation headed by Joseph Tarabay.
12:20 Israeli media: Israeli warplanes are heavily bombing Gaza’s border with Egypt in Rafah.
12:00 Parliament majority leader MP Saad Hariri is meeting with French President Nicolas Sarkozy at the Elysee.
11:50 Thousands of Palestinians are taking part in the funeral of senior Hamas leader Nizar Rayan.
10:30 Al-Arabiya: Gaza mosques were closed for fear that Israel would bomb them.
10:00 All public institutions will close on Wednesday Jan. 7 in observation of the Ashoura.
08:15 : Tourism Minister Elie Marouni told VOL: We are going to face a major crisis caused by the legislative elections, everyone must understand the dangers in order to save Lebanon before it's too late.
Thursday
23:40 According to Egyptian sources Singer Amr Diab decided to donate his earnings for singing at Albustan , Dubai hotel on new year's eve to the victims in Gaza resulting from the Israeli air assault
23:00 Hamas called on Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and annexed east Jerusalem to mark Friday as a "day of wrath" by demonstrating against the Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip.
21:50 Princess Rania wife of Jordan's King Abdullah II Described the silence about what is happening in Gaza as a "sinful"
21: 30 Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz, launched a fund raising campaign calling for urgent public donations across the regions of the Kingdom. The donations will be to help the residents of the Gaza Strip. The King stipulated that this campaign will be under the direct supervision of Interior Minister Prince Nayef bin Abdul Aziz.
21:22 Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) leader MP Walid Jumblatt has apologized that he will not be , receiving well-wishers on the holidays because of the current circumstances, but that he is ready to receive visitors as usual on Saturday morning at his Shouf residence in Mukhtara
21:20 Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, declared during a joint press conference in Cairo with Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit after meeting with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, "We want immediate cease-fire in Gaza."
20:58 The Turkish military said its troops killed 670 Kurdish rebels during the military operations and armed clashes that took place during 2008.
19: 00 Egyptian newspaper Al Jamhouriah :" Why did Hamas, Hezbollah, Damascus , Tehran, Doha, and Muslim brotherhood chose to attack Egypt at the same time? Our army will not make any move to defend crazy people and our borders are sacred . Hamas killed 12 Israelis in 12 years ...do you call this resistance ? Hamas tried to use the wounded as an excuse for opening Rafah "
18:00 Sheikh Hassan Ezz Eddine who is responsible for Hezbollah relations with the Arab countries insisted that Hamas has not asked for Hezbollah's help . He said that the resistance in Gaza will be able to defend itself and will come out victorious in the end.
17:27 A school in Ain el Tuffah district of Gaza was bombarded by Israeli warplanes
17:20 Egyptian security sources have reported that the Egyptian authorities reopened the Rafah crossing between Egypt and Gaza for humanitarian aid and for the wounded
17:17 Tyre meeting also called for holding an urgent Arab summit and for setting up an Popular Emergency Fund to collect donations for Gaza.
17:15 Statement at the end of the Arab Parliamentary Union meeting in support of Gaza in Tyre called for: 1- Halting all the Arab-Israeli peace negotiations .2 - forming a parliamentary delegation to meet with world leaders and urge them to force Israel to end its aggression on Gaza. 3- Holding an emergency Arab summit 4- setting up an Emergency Fund to collect donations for Gaza.
17:00 Senior hardline Hamas leader killed in air strike with his 4 wives and 2 children
16:00 PM Siniora praised in a telephone call police chief Gen. Ashraf Rifi for the tight security measures adopted to keep peace and order during the Christmas and New Year holidays.
Tags: Gaza, Hamas, Hezbollah, Israel, Lebanon Files, Palestinians, Ya Libnan
