Fighting between Israeli forces and Hamas militants has been reported from several areas in Gaza after Israel launched a ground offensive into the Palestinian territory Saturday evening. Israel says 30 of its troops have been wounded, two seriously and it claims to have killed or wounded dozens of Hamas militants. Gaza officials put the Palestinian death toll from the week-long Israeli operations at around 500.
以色列星期六晚上对加沙地带巴勒斯坦人领土发动地面攻势之后，有报导说，以色列部队和哈马斯激进分子在加沙好几个地方交火。以色列说，有30名军人受伤，其中两人伤势严重，以方同时声称击毙和击伤几十名哈马斯激进分子。加沙地带官员说，以色列一个星期来的军事行动造成大约500名巴勒斯坦人丧生。
Israeli soldiers crossed the border under cover of darkness Saturday night and fanned out across areas of the northern Gaza Strip.
星期六晚上，以色列军人在夜色的掩护下跨过边界，挺进加沙北部大片地区。
Troops and tanks are reported to have moved into positions, including around Gaza City. Tanks are reported dug in at some former Israeli settlements in Gaza and the military action is reported to have effectively cut the Gaza Strip in two between north and south.
据报导，军队和坦克已经进入包括在加沙城周围的阵地；坦克开进加沙地带过去以色列人的定居点，军事行动实际上已经把加沙地带分割为南北两部分。
Israel used its infantry, tanks, artillery, war planes and navy to hit more than 40 targets just overnight.
以色列动用步兵、坦克、炮兵、战机和海军，一夜之间打击了40多个目标。
Speaking before an Israeli cabinet meeting Sunday, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said the decision to launch the ground offensive was made Friday.
以色列总理奥尔默特在星期天的一次内阁会议上说，发动地面攻势的决定是星期五做出的。
Mr. Olmert said the decision was not made lightly and only after months of waiting and after hopes for calm were dashed.
奥尔默特说：“这不是一个轻率的决定，这个决定是在等待了好几个月、对平静的希望完全破灭之后才做出的。”
Mr. Olmert vowed that the government did everything before deciding on this operation. "It was unavoidable," he said.
奥尔默特保证，政府是在尽了最大努力之后才决定采取这次行动的。他说：“这是不可避免的。”
Israel has said all along it had no choice but to launch military action after talks with Hamas on extending a cease-fire broke down in December and militants stepped up rocket fire against southern Israel.
以色列方面一直表示，以方别无选择，只能采取军事行动，因为此前和哈马斯就延长停火举行的会谈12月破裂，哈马斯激进分子加紧了对以色列南部地区的火箭弹攻击。
Israel initially launched air strikes just over a week ago, pounding targets it said were linked to Hamas and its infrastructure in Gaza.
以色列是在一个多星期之前开始空袭加沙地带的，轰炸以方所称与哈马斯相关的目标和哈马斯在加沙的基础设施。
But, Hamas has remained defiant, warning that it would turn Gaza into a graveyard for the Israelis.
Casualties are reported on both sides, including Israeli soldiers, Hamas fighters and Palestinian civilians, including children.
据报导，双方都有伤亡，其中包括以色列军人、哈马斯战斗人员以及巴勒斯坦平民，其中还有一些儿童。
According to tallies by medical officials in Gaza the Palestinian death toll from Israeli military operations is now around 500.
据加沙地带的医务人员统计，以色列军事行动已经造成大约500名巴勒斯坦人死亡。 |