Israeli Tanks, Artillery Join Jets in Offensive Against Hamas.

Keywords: AFRICA; ALLTOP; BUSINESS; CONS; CONSD; COS; ELECT; EXE; GEN; GLOBALMACR; GOV; INDUSTRIES; ISRAEL; LIFESTYLE; MIDEAST; NORTHAM; POL; TERROR; TRAVEL; US; WORLD; WWTOP EN AFRICA ALLTOP BUSINESS CONS CONSD COS ELECT EXE GEN GLOBALMACR GOV INDUSTRIES ISRAEL LIFESTYLE MIDEAST NORTHAM POL TERROR TRAVEL US WORLD WWTOP Israeli air and ground troops launched a blistering assault on the Hamas-run Gaza Strip, sweeping aside international appeals for de-escalation after four days of aerial bombardments failed to quell the heaviest militant rocket fire yet on Israel from the Palestinian enclave. An envoy from Egypt, which traditionally has been involved in ending Israel-Gaza violence, arrived to talk to both sides as part of a broader international effort to put an end to the conflict. Israel and Gaza have skirmished repeatedly since Hamas took control of the territory in 2007, and have fought three wars, the last seven years ago. [Extracted from the article]