Israel concedes attacks aim to topple Hamas

The Israeli army has declared areas around Gaza as "closed military zone(s)," a move which some analysts depicted as a potential precursor to a ground offensive. Mon, 29 Dec 2008 16:41:08 GMT | Presstv A senior Israeli official has conceded that the objective of the "all-out" military campaign in Gaza is to topple the Hamas government. "The goal of the operation is to topple Hamas," said Deputy Prime Minister Haim Ramon in televised comments Monday. Tel Aviv had previously stated that its "all-out war" on the Gaza Strip was launched in self-defense, as a means to retaliate against the Palestinian rocket attacks on Israel. "We will stop fire immediately if someone takes the responsibility of this government, anyone but Hamas," said Ramon. The White House, meanwhile, said Monday that Israel was not looking to "retake" the Gaza Strip and was only acting to defend its citizens. Under the guise of halting Hamas attacks, the Israeli air force has attacked at least 300 Hamas-linked targets as well as schools and TV stations throughout the coastal sliver since Saturday. The attacks have so far left at least 345 people killed and another 1550 others wounded, Palestinian medical sources told Press TV. The Gaza Strip has been under an Israeli blockade since the democratically-elected Palestinian government of Hamas took control in mid-June 2007. Earlier in the day, Israeli opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu called on Tel Aviv officials to put all their efforts into toppling the Hamas government in Gaza. His comments came in line with Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni's pledge to bring down the Islamic movement. Netanyahu and Livni are expected to take part in the upcoming Israeli elections. The Israeli onslaught came after a November assessment by the Israeli defense establishment which suggested that the Palestinian Authority elections should be prevented at all cost. "If the truce collapses and conflict is resumed in the Gaza Strip, Israel must act to topple Hamas' rule there," read the leaked report. According to the Israeli assessment, Tel Aviv fears that the new elections might lead to Hamas victory.

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