Pressure mounts to end bloody Israel-Gaza conflict

An Israeli soldier stands near tanks in a deployment area on November 19, 2012 on Israel's border with the Gaza Strip. / Lior Mizrahi/Getty Images

Updated 9:49 p.m. ET

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip Israel and Gaza's Hamas rulers traded fire and tough cease-fire proposals Monday, and threatened to escalate their border conflict if diplomacy fails. No deal appeared near.

An Israeli airstrike targeting a Gaza media center killed a senior militant and engulfed the building in flames, while Gaza fighters fired 95 rockets at Israel, nearly one-third of them intercepted by an Israeli missile shield. One missile hit an empty school.

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Israel investigating Gaza bombing with civilian casualties

A total of 38 Palestinians were killed Monday, bringing the death toll since the start of Israel's offensive to 111, including 56 civilians. Some 840 people have been wounded, including 225 children, Gaza heath officials said. Three Israeli civilians have been killed and dozens have been wounded.

Over the weekend, civilian casualties in Gaza rose sharply after Israel began targeting the homes of what it said were suspected militants. Two such strikes late Monday killed five people - a father and his 4-year-old twin sons in northern Gaza and two people in the south, medics said.

Jamal Daloo, who lost his wife, a son, four grandchildren and five other members of his family in an attack Sunday, sat in quiet mourning Monday next to the ruins of his home, his face streaked with tears.

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"The international public opinion witnessed the facts," he said, speaking as his 16-year-old daughter, Yara, was still missing under the rubble being cleared away by bulldozers. "This does not require my words."



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Israel, Palestinians in deadly clashes



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Hamas rockets hit 2 Israeli schools



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Pressure mounts for truce in Gaza

Israel accuses Hamas militants of hiding near civilians, which Hamas denies. But CBS News correspondent Charlie D'Agata reports the Islamic jihad admitted one of their militants was hiding among journalists when he was killed by an Israeli air strike over the Gaza media center Monday. Launch pads are being discovered near mosques and schools, and CBS News crews saw a rocket launch just two blocks away from a residential area.

Egypt, the traditional mediator between Israel and the Arab world, was at the center of a flurry of diplomatic activity Monday. Egyptian intelligence officials met separately in Cairo with an Israeli envoy and with Khaled Mashaal, the top Hamas leader in exile. Until recently, he has only been allowed in Syria and Iran, CBS News correspondent Clarissa Ward reports.

Hamas wants Israel to halt all attacks on Gaza and lift tight restrictions on trade and movement in and out of the territory that have been in place since Hamas seized Gaza by force in 2007. Israel demands an end to rocket fire from Gaza and a halt to weapons smuggling into Gaza through tunnels under the border with Egypt.

With positions far apart on a comprehensive deal, some close to the negotiations suggested Egypt is first seeking a halt to fighting before other conditions are discussed. They spoke on condition of anonymity because the talks are in a sensitive stage.



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Hamas leader: Rockets won't stop until demands are met

Mashaal told reporters that Israel's threat of invading Gaza was a bluff and Hamas would only agree to a cease-fire if its demands are met. "We don't accept Israeli conditions because it is the aggressor," he said. "We want a cease-fire along with meeting our demands."

When asked by Ward if Hamas wants to see a truce, he responded: "God-willing, the American people will wake up and realize that it is better to stand with 350 million Arabs than to continue to support Israel."

Mashaal eventually conceded that he did not want to see an escalation in hostilities, Ward reports, but was unclear on when he thought a truce would be reached. "Perhaps today, perhaps tomorrow, perhaps never," he told reporters.

• Hamas leader on truce prospects: "Maybe never"

Israeli leaders have repeatedly threatened to widen the offensive, saying an invasion is an option. Israel has amassed troops on the Gaza border and begun calling up thousands of reservists.

Still, an Israeli official emphasized that Israel hopes to find a diplomatic solution.

"We prefer the diplomatic solution if it's possible. If we see it's not going to bear fruit, we can escalate," he said, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the diplomatic efforts under way. He added that Israel wants international guarantees that Hamas will not rearm or use Egypt's Sinai region, which abuts Gaza, for militant activity.

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[SherryLee76]

You know what really sets me off here? One word....TERRORIST!! Hamas are terrorists! People are getting angry because innocent people in Gaza are getting killed, but you blame Israel. Uhm, the last I heard Hamas was using the civilians as human shields! Stop and think about this for a minute. If for some reason a terrorist group decided to come and hang out in your neighborhood and use your house and family as a shield, wouldn't you want to you know tell them to leave? If Mexico or Canada decided to just start dropping bombs on us and attempting to kill our families, I guess we would just sit here and not fire back because it would be perfectly fine for them to try and destroy us. But let's not fire back because innocent people might get killed. Come on folks! Wake up! When Khaled Meshaal said, "God willing the American people will wake up and realize that it is better to stand with 350 million Arabs than to continue to support Israel" I took that as a threat. Yes we need to wake up and see who the enemy is and it is not Israel....... Remember 9/11

[mav547166]

So if Israel stops will the Palestenians stop? They could have easily become the next Dubai with the amount of money invested there rather than trying to atone for the embrassment that Israel has crushed every Arab Army it has faced. Also has anyone ever stoped to wonder why the Egyptians and the Jordanians do not want the Palestenians back? I can tell you that it is not because of their cosmopolitan nature.

[nb12345]

CBS, you are pathetic, what about the scenes of the rockets landing in Israel? BOYCOTT CBS AND IT'S SPONSORS, you are the worst of the worst. Got a few teddy bears to show us in the hands of these terrorists ?

[friend2008]

Israel lost the media war. Israel never gave up, unless they were losing. America has nothing to do with that. America will never support Israel or any other Country in Middle East from now on. Wait and see.

If Israel wants our technology, then Jews must pay us back very well.

[AmericanMuse]

I am annoyed with Mr. Netanyahu and Israel. I had been eagerly looking forward to following President Obama's historic visit to the Mekong countries, but Mr. Netanyahu seems to have taken a direct dump on our President's parade. Israel has sucked all the oxygen out of the room by their murderous assault on the besieged Palestinians, destroying the public focus on our President's endeavors. This is preposterous and Israel must be severely chastised. There is no moral equivalence between a gargantuan army repeatedly smashing a beleaguered people, and those same people shooting off some spluttering rockets in defiance.

[chrystal026]

Anyone who thinks Israel is at Fault for Protecting its Citizen,is a Moron!!!Israel is about Peace,all others are for War!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[MrsHippy]

If someone fired 1000 rockets a year at my house, I would use the biggest weapon in my arsenal to stop the shelling. Now if the Palestinian TerroristS don't want their children to die, they need to teach them a more peaceful way to exist. A child living with a monster will eventually become a monster! I teach my children peace so that they will teach their children peace, but I also teach them that when you are forced to fight, you want overwhelming force on your side. PERIOD!!!!!!!

[MrsHippy]

World War III has begun folks, in the Middle East, right where I thought it would start. The conflicts are dividing the onlookers into taking sides and then each side of the conflict is drawing the onlookers in. As the onlookers divide into various camps of ideas and religion they take sides and start supplying arms and assistance. As each side grows more powerful, more power is needed to try to win a decisive victory. As the stalemate grows the war becomes more violent and the weapons become more powerful. Soon enough it will be Nuclear East against Nuclear West. Who goes first and how does it end?

[jnoll2245]

Israel please finish the job this time. Make them a distant memory. Make sure that you and your people are safe from the evil that surrounds you. Let them know that you will not allow them to terrorize you. Terrorize them. Bomb them into oblivion.

[UR2Ignorant]

You are obviously too ignorant to know the history behind the conflicts of the Middle East and how it all started. Israel has stolen most of the lands of these people by killing them. Th e newly elected Prime Minister of the Palestinians met with Israel and on the way back was he assassinated. What if that happened with our newly elected President would you stand for it? Would you not hate the country that pollutes your water, cuts off food and medical supplies, and confiscates your natural resources? Educate yourself before posting hateful and blatantly ignorant comments.

[TEA1128]

You are talking about people you psycho! Why don't YOU go kill yourself instead of writing stupid messages. These are the lives of children and innocent people not just buildings.

[typingfast1]

I must be one stupid sob. I have to be the dumbest person on the planet. I can't have a single brain cell inside my head. I can't have any intelligence to speak of. What am I missing here? Someone please tell me I am not losing my mind and not really stupid at all. At the present time, I have just about convinced myself I must be wrong and don't really know what I am talking about.

Let me get this right. Please help me. The world wants Israel to back off and stop hurting these morons that started firing rockets into their country. These same morons wants a carte blanch to contine firing rockets into Israel until they submit to the peace treaty they want to dictate to Israel. And these same morons doesn't want to stop until they concede to their wishes. The entire muslim world is suppose to back them up or the rest of the entire world who are not muslim will suffer the same fate they want to inflict on Israel.

So Israel is the bad guy here. I thought I had it wrong. That big, mean, uncaring, baby killing machine called Israel. Well, as far as I can tell, Israel would love to see this nonsense stopped and be able to live in peace. It must be hell living every day wondering if your neighbor is going to lob a few dozen rockets over into your country. Then be expected not to do a thing about it. Look, you guys are living side by side. You have to learn to live together or someone is going to die. Right now, Israel has the firepower and the ability to end this conflict. Yet, they choose to continue to crush your stupid attempts at getting your way.

Be glad I am not in charge over in Israel. If it was up to me, I would just solve the problem for good. Wipe out that worthless piece of land and be done with it. At long last they would have peace and security they long desire for. You can have it too if you want it. Live in peace with your neighbor. Become friends. You'll find out it takes a lot less energy to get along than to hate one another.

[skeezix06]

I'm not excusing the missiles they've been launching but anger on the Palestinian side probably has something to do with the way Israel keeps annexing land Palestinians bought and paid for. Israel has "wiped out that worthless piece of land" because they want it for themselves. Ask yourself how you would react if someone drove up to your house one day and told you to get out because even though you had bought it, it wasn't your land any more. Isn't that exactly the reason the gun buffs keep saying they need to keep their guns? To fight off anyone who tries to take something away from them?

[Ulgnud]

Your idea is good however if the Israelis relent for one moment thier enemies will exterminate them.

[13doug]

For the most part,Hamas leadership, commanders, and their cohorts are safely underground in their command centers while natives of Gaza including children are unprotected. There are no bomb shelters and often the children and civilians are used as human shields.

Just imagine having rocket launchers, bunkers, ammunition dumps and weapons of mass destruction surrounding your homes- or Hamas militants firing from your bedroom windows, from schools, and mosques.

[habu_71]

The tanks are at THREATCON DELTA, DEFCON 4+. If they go to DEFCON 5, "WEAPONS FREE", there will be no reason to stop. Fair warning was given.