₦airaland Forum

AZA/JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Israeli aircraft pounded Hamas government buildings in Gaza on Saturday, including the prime minister’s office, after Israel’s cabinet authorized the mobilization of up to 75,000 reservists, preparing for a possible ground invasion.

Hamas, the Islamist group that runs the Gaza Strip, said Israeli planes bombed the office building of Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh – where he had met on Friday with the Egyptian prime minister – and struck a police headquarters.

Despite the violence, Tunisia’s foreign minister arrived in the coastal enclave early Saturday in a show of Arab solidarity, heading to a hospital to visit the wounded.

Officials in Gaza said 38 Palestinians, half of them civilians including eight children and a pregnant woman, had been killed in Gaza since Israel began its air strikes. Three Israeli civilians were killed by a rocket on Thursday.

Rocket fire by militants into Israel resumed after dawn following a relative lull overnight, but the number was still lower than on the previous three days since the start of the offensive, an Israeli military spokesman said.

A three-storey house belonging to Hamas official Abu Hassan Salah was also hit and completely destroyed early Saturday. Rescuers said at least 30 people were pulled from the rubble.

The Israeli army said it had targeted a number of government buildings during the night, including Haniyeh’s office, the Hamas Interior Ministry and a police compound.

On Friday, Palestinians fired a rocket toward Jerusalem for the first time in decades. Tel Aviv, Israel’s commercial centre, also came under rocket attack for the second straight day, in defiance of Israel’s air campaign that began on Wednesday with the declared aim of deterring Hamas from launching cross-border attacks that have plagued southern Israel for years.

Hamas claimed responsibility for firing at Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. Israel said the rocket launched toward Jerusalem landed in the occupied West Bank, and the one fired at Tel Aviv did not hit the city. There were no reports of casualties or damage.

The siren that sounded in Jerusalem stunned many Israelis. The city, holy to Jews, Muslims and Christians, was last hit by a Palestinian rocket in 1970. It was not targeted when Saddam Hussein’s Iraq fired missiles at Israel in the 1991 Gulf War.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a four-hour strategy session late on Friday with a clutch of senior ministers in Tel Aviv on widening the military campaign, while other cabinet members were polled by telephone on increasing mobilization.

Political sources said they decided to more than double the current reserve troop quota set for the Gaza offensive to 75,000. It did not necessarily mean all would be called up.

DIPLOMATIC EFFORTS

Egypt’s Prime Minister Hisham Kandil paid a high-profile visit to Gaza on Friday, denouncing what he described as Israeli aggression and saying Cairo was prepared to mediate a truce.

Egypt’s Islamist government is allied with Hamas but also party to a 1979 peace treaty with Israel.

“Egypt will spare no effort … to stop the aggression and to achieve a truce,” Kandil said.

A Palestinian official with knowledge of Cairo’s mediation efforts said on Saturday that Egypt was pursuing a truce.

“Egyptian mediators are continuing their mediation efforts and these will intensify in the coming hours,” he told Reuters.

The Israeli military said some 150 rockets fired from Gaza had hit Israel since Friday and at least 83 more were intercepted by its Iron Dome anti-missile system.

In a further sign Netanyahu might be clearing the way for a ground operation, Israel’s armed forces decreed a highway leading to the territory and two roads bordering the enclave of 1.7 million Palestinians off-limits to civilian traffic.

Tanks and self-propelled guns were seen near the border area on Friday, and the military said it had already called 16,000 reservists to active duty.

Netanyahu is favored to win a January national election, but further rocket strikes against Tel Aviv, a free-wheeling city Israelis equate with New York, and Jerusalem, which Israel regards as its capital, could be political poison for the conservative leader.

U.S. President Barack Obama commended Egypt’s efforts to help calm the Gaza violence in a call to Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi on Friday, the White House said, and underscored his hope of restoring stability.

In a call with Netanyahu, Obama discussed options for “de-escalating” the situation, the White House added.

Obama “reiterated U.S. support for Israel’s right to defend itself, and expressed regret over the loss of Israeli and Palestinian civilian lives,” a statement on the call said.

Israel Radio’s military affairs correspondent said the army’s Homefront Command had told municipal officials to make civil defense preparations for the possibility that fighting could drag on for seven weeks. An Israeli military spokeswoman declined to comment on the report.

The Gaza conflagration has stoked the flames of a Middle East already ablaze with two years of Arab revolution and a civil war in Syria that threatens to leap across borders.

It is the biggest test yet for Mursi, a veteran Islamist politician from the Muslim Brotherhood who was elected this year after protests ousted military autocrat Hosni Mubarak in 2011.

Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood are spiritual mentors of Hamas, yet Mursi has also pledged to respect Cairo’s 1979 peace treaty with Israel, seen in the West as the cornerstone of regional security. Egypt and Israel both receive billions of dollars in U.S. military aid to underwrite their treaty.

Hamas fighters are no match for the Israeli military. The last Gaza war, involving a three-week long Israeli air blitz and ground invasion over the New Year period of 2008-2009, killed more than 1,400 Palestinians, mostly civilians. Thirteen Israelis died.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is expected to visit Israel and Egypt next week to push for an end to the fighting in Gaza, U.N. diplomats said on Friday.

Hamas refuses to recognize Israel’s right to exist. By contrast, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who rules in the nearby West Bank, does recognize Israel, but peace talks between the two sides have been frozen since 2010.

Abbas’ supporters say they will push ahead with a plan to have Palestine declared an “observer state” rather than a mere “entity” at the United Nations later this month.(Am so filled with joy,poping my champagne as I read this story.AS long Jesus lives nd the spirit is alive,the enemies ll cry all day.I posted some where b4;who can battle with lord?The Bible says;He that keepet isreal never sleeps.Let all d islamic nation gather against isreal,they will never prevail.the highest they can do is just a mere scatch compared to what God's choosen race isreal will do.The word of the lord ll never fail.)

Buro ubanku hamas.
Kun ci uwar ubanku
Banza munafiki

Wen I am alone,I comme out from d bath room naked,eat my food right inside d pot..lol
I also dance in front of d mirror atimes nd its fun scraching d scrotum nd watching TV

festguy: @foster cat&all dos dt ar online,pls any latest because one persn claimed dt he has received a txt msg of being shrtlstd

I saw d post.dint read a second time.I don't reply attention seekers.the guy got the invitation in his dream.good for him...lol
But we need d real outcome.let d dreamers continue to dream,dream can come true.gud luck guys!!!

Hayjaycity: If you carefully looked at the post that led to these, there was no indication of hatred btw ethnic group, it was the guy that misunderstood the content of the post...what I meant was that why posting news about killing igbos in zaria in Dangote's interview thread, he should have created a thread for it....That's all, all he had to do is to rain curse on the poster...ts not new to me on NL nah, what can we doi

forget,just turn ur face d other way,then u wud ve made d difference.most people here don't know how to open new threads,but they are specialist in derailing other peoples thread nd causing confusion.lots of shallow minds u kno.no mature person wud b insultive.we are all here to get info or d other.no vex with dem just leave dem e hear?.tnx my bro

psalmytito: Dangote need to sack some aggressive trailer driver even b4 he give them there appointment later. Guy i dey fear say dangote vision of employing graduate instend of illiterate driver no go dey abortive bcus i no see different btw some graduate and illiterate people. how people dey yab themselve as if they know eachorder,if this people are furtune to see eachorder shai...... i believe then go break boottle on themselve.whalai dangote have to think twice.just imagine how graduate they curse and abuse themselve even when they didnt see eachorder.guy i fear for una o

this is just a tip of d iceberg.its just tranfer of frustration of jobless mind.I pray they get d job,so that peace will reign.

Obviously wit wat I read here,Nigerian can never be one.the hatered btw the major ethnic grps is just too alarming.May God help us all.God bless Dangote for giving a little hope.

Gen.Obasanjo!
I miss u.this sure a child play for u handle.I wish GEJ could just do it d obj way.BH wud learnt d Odi nd Zakibiam way.give a miliatry order'sweep the town clean'no crow of a chicken shd be heard.these Bastards called BH wud ve taken dressing by now

real28: Nairalanders, did u notice if our interviewer put our names of their assessment sheet use for grading? Cos the sheet indicated YES OR NO answer like a questionnaire.
At d bottom of d sheet there two boxes for comment at d left hand and a box at d right hand for d interviewer's signature.do u saw dat 2?

yea I saw it,I also saw some of my scores.at the bottom,my interviewer ticked a good,I just hope that means I passed oooo.lol I was among d first 5 persons interviewd on tuesday monrning at d lagos centre.I arrived d venue at exertly 5:50am..wow

God fearing to a lady simply means a guy that ll not cheat on her.dats all...they fear guys dat double date like mad....I can't be God fearing ooo.so no look my side..lol

Con see one yeye guy for Lagos here con use him fone dey snap people nd vedio dem.I just walked to him and asked him y he was doin dat.he asked who I was nd I told him I was a staff,which kind staff sef, d guys no asked.then I asked him if he was interested in the interview nd he said yes sir.I now said delete those things or I ll call the security to send u out this place. Oboy! Na so so sory sir I con dey hear.the guy big pass me o.my mind tk style de bit too mk e no slap me oo..lol I show am warri level

jhydebaba: I don catch u now. Kudos to u, u sabi d tin wella. We do the thing 2geda. U recognize me?

hahahahahahaha.hw u take know who I be among the six of us wey enter?
No qualms sha.wish u d best.I sha help one oji nd one ibrahim write there names.I don't even know them.I just did dat to show love for a fellow nairalander,they fell within the first 30..


We were asked not to call any number again.we ll be comunicated too on or b4 month end. Wish all God's favour.it is well with our country IJN

Done wit d interview in lagos.I was among d first 5 to go in. A fews guys came to ask if I was foster cat? I just smiled nd said no.I never wanted the attension.well I am on my bed,thank God I took two days casual leave.the queue is crazy out side.

eduson002: foster where u dey?

see me here.u wan dash me money?am sitting in front d building were de write R/AC/workshop in front of d door

omotola1: Omo, na real men o.
All of dem remove their wedding ring keep for house.

I beg I no wan laf o..lol

Mrgbengulo: Foster cat pls can u txt me ur no, or u flash me on these no I will call u back 08130204401.for lagos venue.

am sorry I cant do any tin again.u can see I am being attacked already

Ok.I ve stoped.I just said two only before

Ok

lekibraky: Please I Amon my way help me to write Akinniyi Ibrahim olalekan on the register

u are no.23

jhydebaba: where are u sir? I am sitting down close to the gate.

we are all at d gate.21 persons around now:6:30am

@ lagos venue now.6:10am seven persons already around.
Let me do 2 peeps a favour,send me ur full names.I ll put it on d list nd confirm ur number to u

Tnx abj guys!!!
For d lasgidi guys,I went to check out place today,to really know d venue.its just a trekable distance from my house to the place because I live in Ketu.the philips building is just at the main road at ojota,but it carries a sign board on the top of the building'SAMSUNG'that means samsung is using the building too.the ITF office is behind d philips building. actually,d ITF building is no.5 on the said street-ie former no.28.it is painted in milk colour.it is trekable from d ojota bus stop.but if u must take a bike from ojota bus stop to the venue,its just N50.Be guided.see u guys 2moro.best of luck to us all..tnx

Foster cat: U are bush man! Do u need magician to tell u that we are just cracking jokes nd catching fun wit those statements?
Thank u mr lecturer.go make d diffrence...to ur tent o Israel

make i help u,sorry asre 1Dray:pls answer this simple question

1Dray: You know what? You're a big fo.ol! What makes you a graduate here? A Half baked graduate making noise here. Do you think because you applied for the job makes you get the job automatically? Do you think you're the only one that applied for the job? I guess you think because its a trucking driving job you wont 've to compete for it and prove that you're a real graduate and qualified for the job. Go and pass the interview first before come here and make hell of noise. #DayDreamer! Keep day dreaming...

looooooooooooooooooooooooool...I asked u a simple question. go and look d question.bush man
i am very sure u failed comprehension in English.sorry all the same.not my faultttttttt

1Dray: Hold it there! Dont get it twisted. I dont've anything against any graduate driving truck. Its only a blind and deaf man that will not know that thousands of Nigerian youth are unemployed roaming the streets daily in search of jobs that dont seem to exist. I'm among the school of thoughts that
believe in dignity of labour and starting small. Even Dangote and many billionaires had humble beginings. I was only asking if u use thesame pattern and orientations that illiterate drivers use in driving and living their kind of reckless and 'toutish' kind of life, like the one of u narrated and painted above, what would be the difference btw u and the illiterate drivers? Why would Dangote want to go for graduate drivers if on the long run u will end bn like the illiterate drivers? Methink Dangote want to make and see a change by introducing graduates into this. Correct me if am wrong here with my question and post.

U are bush man! Do u need magician to tell u that we are just cracking jokes nd catching fun wit those statements?
Thank u mr lecturer.go make d diffrence...to ur tent o Israel

1Dray: Ol' boy see dreamer o... Wetin come be d difference btw u nd them illiterates truck drivers?

The diffrence btw me nd u is dat I ve a job nd I am happy catching my fun here.I am happy for those taking a bold step to greater success nd u are a frustrated job seeking Malu with pride and no job.go eat ur kwali.imbesillic slowpoke

olumaxi: By d tym i handle a brand new petrol tanker..people go begin holla my name as OLU PILOT

No b only olu pilot na olu brukutu...hehehehehe*laughing like otedorllar*

omotola1: *Clown*

One for d road only!!,two for gutter!
Thank u dangote,mk I go drop 20 bag of cement first for my village,e b like say those ye ye boys for ware house no sabi count!
I don begin build house ooo.motor boy help me call my account officer,I wan kno weda my 250k don enta account.e no easy to b chief executive truck pilot...lol*This dream sweet oh*

technokid: it probably might be their bulk sms gateway that didnt deliver all messages.moreover the press release on their website didnt say only people that received an sms shuld show up

B deceiving nd consoling ur sef.I just dey imagine hw dey go pursue gate crashers.d guys already have their hands full,any more persons ll. Cause frustration to them.wait for d next advart.am on my way do deliver cement to onitsha via agbor.taking a bottle of odeku at umunede.motor boy,u see dat girl yansh? Go call am come,after dat go prepae d mattrass wey day inside my truck.I need to take this one for d road to clear my eyez..lol

Guys for yola nd Kano this week,kip us posted for us having it next week so that we can be fully informed of d interview processes.mean while wishing those of u in dat region having urs this week best of luck!
Allah ya tameke mu duka...amin arebi

I just hope it not d whole five days for all.I tbink the interview ll run for five days to accomodate every body.one might be lucky to do his on the first day and ll not need to come back the rest days,..this wat I want to find out from d numbers but baggers are just picking the calls...lol

All the nunbers are not picking their calls? I just dey vex..lol

Wen the dust settles,we will see clearly which country is wiped out of d world.
Isreal is choosen race by God.nd only fools will say there is no God.who can battle with d lord?

Well ,we all ve our diffrent race to run.choose ur path.
Join me if u care.MFM-ketu regional HQ,sunday service @ 7am.Every enemy of the children of God ll be fogotten IJN
EVery spirit blocking d hrts of many here,catch fire in the mighty name of jesus.
The Bible says'he that watches over isreal never sleeps nor slumber.

The Bible says'my people perish for lack of knowledge' may the holy spirit open our hrts to know the thruth IJN..good nite