DW-World.de
Deutsche Welle

Israeli warplanes have bombarded targets of the Islamist Hamas movement in the Gaza Strip for a fourth straight day. The United Nations says at least 360 Palestinians have been killed and 1,400 injured in the air strikes. At least 62 civilians are among the dead. Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said that the bombardment was "the first of several stages" approved by Israel's security cabinet. There are growing signs that Israel is preparing for a ground incursion into the Gaza Strip. The air strikes have not stopped militants from firing rockets from Gaza at Israeli towns, killing at least four Israelis since the weekend. The Israeli military said at least one rocket fired by militants on Tuesday slammed an empty field in Beersheba, about 40 kilometres from the Gaza Strip, the furthest Israeli city to be hit so far.