Israeli Strikes Kill 205 in Gaza Strip

A huge Israeli air assault on Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip has killed more than 200 Palestinians and wounded at least 400, the AP reports. Those killed had mostly been inside police headquarters, Hamas said. Israel said the attacks were meant to end rocket and mortar attacks on Israel which had been mounting for days; Israel had pledged retaliation.

“We had warned the civilian population in the Gaza Strip of our attacks and Hamas, which hides within this population, is solely responsible for this situation," said an Israeli army spokesman. “Our operations will continue and will be expanded if necessary.” A six-month truce between the groups ended December 19. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas condemned the raids and called “on the international community to intervene to end them,” a rep said.
(More Arab Israeli conflict stories.)