01/08/09

* Hamas Rejects Ceasefire Despite taking heavy losses in the Cast Lead operation in Gaza, Hamas announced Thursday that it rejects an Egyptian-French truce initiative.

* Senior officers want to press on with ground op Senior defense establishment officials warned Thursday that the IDF has not yet completed its mission in the Gaza Strip.

* Red Cross slams Israel over access to Gaza wounded The International Committee of the Red Cross says it has found four small children alive next to their mothers' bodies in a Gaza home hit by Israeli shelling.

* Next phase: IDF reservists to Gaza or truce An Israeli delegation is expected to leave for Cairo Thursday morning for talks on a possible ceasefire agreement with Hamas.

* UN says halting aid to Gaza, citing danger to staff from IDF The United Nations on Thursday said it was halting aid deliveries to the Gaza Strip.

* Iran's Larijani meets Hamas in Damascus A senior Iranian politician met Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal in Damascus on Wednesday.

* Leadership Crisis Emerging in Palestinian Authority A constitutional leadership crisis is looming over the Palestinian Authority as Jan. 9.

* Olmert: Army could step up op in Gaza Israel has yet to exhaust all of its military options in the Gaza Strip and could step up its actions against Hamas.

* Hundreds of thousands rally in Syria to protest Gaza attack Hundreds of thousands of Syrians swarmed downtown Damascus Thursday in a government-orchestrated rally.

* IDF halts op to get supplies to Gazans For a second consecutive day, Defense Minister Ehud Barak suspended Operation Cast Lead for three hours on Thursday afternoon.