The Palestinian prime minister said Friday that Israel's offensive is aimed at toppling the Hamas-led government, but maintained he is working with mediators to resolve the crisis over a captive Israeli soldier. Israel kept up the pressure in Gaza, destroying the interior minister's office and targeting a car carrying militants in an airstrike. Israel also said it attacked a militant cell, killing a local Islamic Jihad leader – the first reported death in the offensive. With the crisis threatening to boil over into major fighting, the U.N. Security Council scheduled an emergency debate Friday. The Palestinians sought for a resolution condemning Israel's actions and demanding a halt to all military operations. Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh urged his people to remain steadfast. Though he did not directly address Israel's demand that militants hand over the abducted soldier, he implied the government would not trade him for eight Palestinian Cabinet ministers detained by Israel on Thursday. He also accused Israel of using the soldier's abduction as a pretext for launching a major offensive with the aim of bringing down his government. “This total war is proof of a premeditated plan,” he said.
| What were the daily rocket attacks on Israel, the death of two soldiers and the kidnapping of one soldier and a civilian? |