Israeli Pummels Gaza, Pauses

Israel continued to pound Gaza last night and this morning as air strikes hit 40 targets and killed 15 Hamas fighters, CNN reports. Attacks were halted for the 3-hour pause this afternoon to allow Gaza residents to restock supplies, the third such pause in the two-week-old conflict. Health workers say at least 800 people have been killed, including 235 children, 90 women, and 12 medics.

A UN spokesman expressed frustration with the intermittent ceasefires, noting that a medical convoy was attacked during yesterday’s lull. "This 3-hour pause is … I suspect, part of the problem," he said. "You have the military machine having the switch flicked on and off, and there's uncertainty." At least 3,225 have been wounded in the attacks, and 13 Israelis have been killed.
(More Arab Israeli conflict stories.)