1/11/09

* IAF hits 20 tunnels in southern Gaza IAF planes on Sunday afternoon attacked at least twenty smuggling tunnels along the Philadelphi Corridor, on Gaza's southern border with Egypt.

* 'Hamas badly hit, but will fight on' IDF Military Intelligence Head Maj.-Gen. Amos Yadlin on Sunday briefed cabinet ministers on the Gaza operation, stressing the dire straits Hamas and its leadership was in.

* Defense officials: IDF likely to expand Gaza op The IDF will likely expand its operations in the Gaza Strip in the coming days in an effort to press Egypt to declare its readiness to stop the weapons smuggling from the Sinai Peninsula into Gaza, defense officials said Saturday.

* Thousands support Israel at UK rallies Thousands of police were on duty in London and Manchester for the pro-Israel rallies that took place on Sunday after violent clashes again erupted at an anti-Israel demonstration at the Israel embassy on Saturday.

* Mashaal decries 'holocaust' in Gaza The IDF operation in Gaza has killed the last chance for settlement and negotiations with Israel, Damascus-based Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal told Al-Jazeera on Saturday.

* Israel is 'nearing Gaza goals' Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has said Israel is nearing the goals of its military campaign in the Gaza Strip, as he signalled it would continue.

* Fatah Silently Watches Gaza, Waiting to Take Over Reports emanating from Shechem (Nablus) and other areas in Palestinian Authority-controlled Samaria indicate that the Arabs there are not showing great solidarity with their war-torn brethren in Gaza.

* IDF: More than 300 Hamas Terrorists Killed Over the Past Week A senior IDF officer estimated Saturday evening that more than 300 Hamas gunmen have been killed over the week that has passed since the ground phase of Operation Cast Lead began.

* Campaign Promotes Return to Gush Katif Several Jewish nationalist groups have come together to sponsor a massive PR campaign calling to return to Jewish towns in Gaza. "There is a solution: Going back to Gush Katif," the campaign's posters say.

* Rocket lands near Ashdod kindergarten; no injuries Rocket barrages hit Israel as three-hour humanitarian pause takes effect.