The Israel-Gaza War Is Still Ongoing Online

A chart prepared by CloudFlare documenting the huge spike in DDOS attacks on Israeli and Palestinian websites after last week’s ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

Despite Ceasefire, Israel-Gaza War Continues Online -- Danger Room

It’s been a week since Israel and Hamas reached a ceasefire pausing their war in Gaza. But on the internet, a different kind of fighting never stopped — and has actually intensified since the rockets stopped falling and the warplanes returned to their bases.

About two hours before last week’s ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, supporters of both sides intensified their barrage of distributed denial of service (DDOS) attacks against each other, according to CloudFlare, a U.S. company that provides DDOS protection services to websites that come under attack. The volume of attacks continuing after the ceasefire has outpaced those occurring during the offline hostilities.

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My Comment: I expect these denial of service attacks will diminish with time .... and instead be replaced by a media and information campaign promoting one's side against the other. Some already believe that Hamas has won this type of information warfare.

Getting Ready For The Next Israel - Hamas War

Egypt Reportedly Intercepts Large Weapons Shipment En Route To Gaza From Libya -- Times of Israel

Cache includes 185 crates full of arms and ammunition worth $3.3 million, Egyptian daily says.

Egyptian state security forces have seized a large shipment of weapons that were smuggled into Sinai from Libya en route to Hamas in the Gaza Strip, the Egyptian daily Al-Ahram reported on Tuesday.

According to the report, the shipment included 185 crates full of arms and ammunition, including bullets, anti-tank and anti-aircraft munitions, rocket-propelled grenades, landmines and explosives. The estimated value of the shipment was 20 million Egyptian pounds ($3.3 million).

Three people, including a father and son, were said to have been arrested for smuggling the shipment.

Another such shipment from Libya carrying warheads for Grad rockets was intercepted by Egyptian authorities last week.

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My Comment: CNN is right .... a state of permanent war (between Israel and Gaza) is becoming a reality.

Will The Israel - Hamas Cyberwar Continue?

After the Cease-Fire in Gaza, Will the Cyberwar Continue? -- Vivienne Walt, Time

You didn’t need to be a Middle East specialist to understand that something was seriously off-kilter early on Wednesday when Israel’s Vice Prime Minister Silvan Shalom displayed a “Free Palestine” photo on his Facebook page and wrote on his Twitter feed, “FREE PALESTINE! END THE OCCUPATION!” No fan of Hamas, Shalom was the latest target in a hacking campaign that has raged through eight days of actual, lethal warfare in Gaza. Shortly after the postings on Shalom’s sites, the tech website Gizmodo announced that Anonymous, the hacking activist group, had finally “swallowed a big fish,” having threatened days earlier to turn the Gaza conflict “into a cyberwar.” “Pretty embarrassing for a high-ranking official!” Gizmodo writer Casey Chan wrote.

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My Comment: It is not only an intensification of the cyber war .... it is also an intensification of the information/propaganda/media war .... reaching one's supporters as well as communicating to a greater worldwide audience. Will there be a let-up in this conflict .... I sincerely doubt it.

Israel - Gaza Conflict: Live Updates

An Iron Dome launcher fires an interceptor rocket in the southern city of Ashdod November 16, 2012. REUTERS/Amir Cohen

WNU Editor: For those who are following the Israel - Hamas conflict, the following web sites are providing live updates.

Conflict along the Gaza Strip Live -- Reuters
Israel and Gaza conflict: Truce during Egyptian PM's visit broken - live updates -- The Guardian
Israel-Gaza violence Live -- BBC
Gaza Live Blog -- Al Jazeera
LIVE BLOG: Rockets slam into Israel's south in third day of IDF operation in Gaza -- Haaretz
Israel-Hamas 'Open War': LIVE UPDATES -- RT

Update: For more coverage of the conflict, the following news websites are convering the conflict (on both sides).

Coverage From the Jerusalem Post -- Jerusalem Post
YNEt News
Times of Israel
Al Bawaba
Ahram Online
Daily Star

Israel Calls Up 30,000 Reservists In Prelude For A Possible Gaza Invasion

Smoke rises following an Israeli air strike on Gaza City, on November 14 (photo credit: Edi Israel/Flash90)

IDF Calling Up Reserves Ahead Of Possible Gaza Ground Operation -- Times of Israel

‘Too early to talk about ceasefire,’ says IDF spokesman.

The IDF has called up a limited number of reserve soldiers ahead of a possible ground incursion into Gaza as part of Operation Pillar of Defense, IDF Spokesman Brig.-Gen. Yoav Mordechai said Thursday.

“It is a very limited call-up, with emphasis on Home Front Command units,” Mordechai said in an interview to Channel 2 News.

“IDF Chief of General Staff Benny Gantz has authorized the army’s regular units to prepare for a ground operation,” said Mordechai. Some of those called up for reserves would be dispatched to replace those units in their routine duties.

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More News On Israel Calling Up 30,000 Reservists

Israel moves troops toward Gaza -- Seattle Times/AP
Israeli reserves mobilizing for Gaza -- Examiner
IDF Initiating Call-Up of Reserves, Preparing for Possible Ground War -- Jewish Press
Israel moves troops toward Gaza -- CTPost
Israeli Forces 'Move Toward Gaza Border' -- SKY News

Tel Aviv Hit By Gaza Rockets -- News Updates On The Israeli - Hamas Conflict

Tel Aviv Residents Scramble For Cover As Rockets Fired Into Country’s Economic Capital -- Times of Israel

Rockets hit Gush Dan area for first time since 1991 Gulf War; Israel suffers first three fatalities after rocket hits residential building in Kiryat Malachi; three soldiers injured by mortar fire; 245 rockets fired into Israel since start of operation

On Operation Pillar of Defense’s second day, rocket fire is bringing life in southern and central Israel to a standstill while the IDF inflicts heavy blows on Gaza terror groups. The Times of Israel is live-blogging. Press refresh for latest updates.

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More News On The Israeli - Hamas Conflict

Israel and Gaza militants in deadly exchanges – live updates -- The Guardian
Gaza Live Blog -- Al Jazeera

Gaza conflict intensifies -- Al Jazeera
15 Palestinians, 3 Israelis dead as intense air assaults and rocket fire continue -- Washington Post
Explosion heard in Tel Aviv as Gaza clashes mount -- CBS/AP
Rockets hits near Tel Aviv as Gaza death toll rises -- Reuters
Gaza Rocket Strikes Near Tel Aviv, Killing 3 -- Time/AP
Gaza missiles fired at Tel Aviv -- BBC
Israeli launches retaliation strikes against Hamas rocket attacks -- FOX News
Gaza Militants Aim Missiles at Israel After Air Attacks -- Bloomberg Businessweek
Israel threatens 'widening' of Gaza operation -- CBC/AP
Israel trying to avoid Gaza civilian casualties, says PM Netanyahu -- BBC
Region on the precipice: Israel, Gaza slide closer to war neither side wants -- NBC
Analysis: Israel not rushing to invade Gaza -- Reuters
Has Israel’s Assault on Gaza Made Tel Aviv Vulnerable? -- Karl Vick, Time

Israel - Hamas Conflict Escalates -- News Updates November 15, 2012

Map of IDF strikes and Gaza rocket fire

Rocket Barrage On Israel's South Continues Overnight, IDF Striking In Gaza -- Haaretz/Reuters

Israel launched a military operation in Gaza Wednesday, killing Hamas military chief Ahmed Jabari in airstrike; over 100 rockets fired at Israel since; more than 25 rockets intercepted by Iron Dome System; Israel may expand Gaza operation, says senior official; Israeli cabinet authorizes IDF reservists call-up; UNSC held emergency meeting on escalation.

A senior government official in Jerusalem said during a press briefing late Wednesday that Israel is preparing for "a significant expansion of the operation, including a ground incursion into the Gaza Strip, and summoning the reservists."

Following four days of escalation on the Israel-Gaza border, Israel launched a military operation in the Gaza Strip Wednesday, killing Hamas military chief Ahmed Jabari in an airstrike, and targeting weapons warehouses and long-range rocket launchers.

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More News On The Israeli - Hamas Conflict

Israel ready to widen Gaza operations, says Netanyahu -- BBC
Israeli military, Gaza militants trade fire -- AP
Ferocious Israeli Assault on Gaza Kills a Leader of Hamas -- New York Times
Hamas reeling but defiant as Israel pounds Gaza -- Reuters
Hamas: Assassination is a declaration of war -- Jerusalem Post
Gazans fire 95 rockets after Jabari hit -- Jerusalem Post
Palestinians ask UN Security Council in emergency session to stop Israel’s Gaza attacks -- Washington Post/AP
Security Council responds to Israeli strikes on Gaza -- Christian Science Monitor
U.N. Security Council holds emergency session on Israel raids -- Reuters
Egypt Recalls Envoy to Israel After Gaza Strike -- ABC News/AP
White House: Obama, Netanyahu, Morsi talk on Gaza attacks, killing of Hamas military chief -- Washington Post/AP

My Comment: If this tit-for-tat conflict between Hamas and Israel continues, expect an Israeli ground offensive very soon.

Israeli Defense Forces Gloat Over Assassination of Hamas Military Commander Ahmed Jabari

My Comment: They should not gloat to much .... blow-back is going to be the response from Hamas on the assassination of their military chief.

Update: Israel Wages Twitter War With Hamas Over Gaza Attacks -- Bloomberg Businessweek

Hamas Says 'Gates Of Hell Opened' In Their Conflict With Israel

Hamas Says 'Gates Of Hell Opened' As Israel Kills Military Leader In Gaza -- The Guardian

Ahmed al-Jabari's assassination in missile strike marks 'start of broader operation' that may involve ground troops, says Israel

Israel has launched a military operation to eliminate militants and weapon sites in the Gaza Strip, killing the commander of Hamas's military wing, in a move with potentially serious repercussions beyond its borders.

The assassination of Ahmed al-Jabari in a missile strike in Gaza City was the "start of a broader operation", according to the Israel Defence Forces, which it named Operation Pillar of Defence.

Ground forces were on standby, the IDF said. The Israeli prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, warned that the military was "prepared to expand" its Gaza operation.

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My Comment: Hamas has permitted the launching of rockets from Gaza into Israel for as long as I can remember .... so why should they (or anyone else for that matter) be surprised that Israel is now striking back in force.

Israel And Gaza Militants Continue Firing At Each Other

Israel Airstrikes Target Palestinian Militants In Northern And Southern Gaza -- CNN

(CNN) -- Israeli airstrikes hit Palestinian targets in Gaza overnight, scoring direct hits on a "terror tunnel" and a weapons storage facility, the military said Monday.

A military representative said militants have launched more than 110 rockets since Saturday.

"The IDF will not tolerate any attempt to harm Israeli civilians, and will operate against anyone who uses terror against the State of Israel," an Israel Defense Forces statement said. "The Hamas terror organization is solely responsible for any terrorist activity emanating from the Gaza Strip."

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More News On The Escalating Military Strikes Between Israel And Gaza Militants

Israel hit by fresh volley of rockets from Gaza -- BBC
Rocket fire from Gaza intensifies, stepping up pressure on Israel government -- FOX News/AP
Rocket Fire From Gaza Intensifies -- ABC News/AP
Violence Surges on Israeli-Gaza Border -- Post-Gazette/New York Times
Gaza rocket hits yard of Israeli house, as violence enters third day -- Haaretz
Rockets from Gaza hit Israel for third day -- JTA
Frustrations mount over 'crazy' tit-for-tat Gaza strikes -- Sydney Morning Herald
Israel 'Prepared to Escalate' Over Gaza Violence -- Voice of America
Israel weighs harsh military action against Gaza -- Business Recorder
Israel will not accept reality of Gaza rocket fire, Netanyahu says -- Haaretz
Israel will avoid Gaza war but may mull Hamas assassinations -- Haaretz

Israel And Hamas Trade Fire As Fears Of An Escalation In The Conflict Increase

Fears Of Violent Escalation After Gaza Strikes -- Sydney Morning Herald

JERUSALEM: Israel has launched multiple airstrikes in the Gaza Strip, killing seven Palestinians, while militants fired more than 100 rockets and mortars into southern Israel in what threatens to develop into a major confrontation.

Israel also confirmed on Sunday it had fired a series of warning shots into Syria, after one of its military posts in the occupied Golan Heights was hit with mortar fire from across the border.

The world needs to understand that Israel will not sit idly by in the face of attempts to attack us.

The latest escalation began when a tunnel packed with explosives under the Gaza-Israel border blew up late on Thursday in what an Israeli military spokeswoman, Lieutenant-Colonel Avital Leibovich, described as an attempt to kidnap or kill soldiers.

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More News On Fears Of An Escalating Conflict Between Israel And Hamas

Gaza: Palestinians killed and Israeli soldiers injured -- BBC
Six Palestinians killed after attack on Israeli jeep -- The Nation/AFP
Palestinians say Israeli fire kills 4 near border, after anti-tank missile hits army vehicle -- Washington Post/AP
Israel, Gaza militants trade fire in escalation -- Bloomberg Businessweek/AP
Unofficial truce brings quiet to the South, Gaza -- Jerusalem Post
Report: Islamic Jihad announces cease-fire with Israel -- Jerusalem Post
Israel warns Hamas over Gaza -- The Australian
Israel says may escalate as Hamas joins Gaza clashes -- Reuters
Israel 'Prepared to Escalate' Over Gaza Violence -- Voice of America
Israel won’t send troops into Gaza but could resume assassinations of Hamas leaders -- Haaretz
Barak: Hamas will pay a heavy, painful price for rockets -- Jerusalem Post
PMO: Netanyahu wants to prepare international public opinion for Gaza operation -- Haaretz
Barak: Israel will not hesitate to launch Gaza operation -- Jerusalem Post
Israel border town residents live 'routine of rockets' -- AFP

Israel's Military Is Counting The Calories That Palestinians Cosume

A boy in south Gaza at the time the UN ran out of Palestinian food supplies in 2008 after Israel blocked deliveries. Photograph: Ibraheem Abu Mustafa/Reuters

Israel Used 'Calorie Count' To Limit Gaza Food During Blockade, Critics Claim -- The Guardian

Defence ministry files on 'avoiding' civilian malnutrition are proof Israel used food restrictions to hit Hamas, says Palestine group.

The Israeli military made precise calculations of Gaza's daily calorie needs to avoid malnutrition during a blockade imposed on the Palestinian territory between 2007 and mid-2010, according to files the defence ministry released on Wednesday under a court order.

Israel says it never limited how many calories were available to Gaza, but critics claimed the document was proof the government limited food supplies to put pressure on Hamas.

At the height of the blockade Israel also maintained a list of foods that were permitted and banned from Gaza.

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More News On Israel Calculating Calorie Consumption For Gaza Residents During The Blockade

Israeli military carefully counted residents’ calories during Gaza blockade: document -- New York Daily News/AP
Israel set calorie 'red line' for Gaza Strip: NGO -- AFP
Israel Gaza Blockade: Calories Calculated By Israelis To Force Malnutrition -- Huffington Post/Reuters
Israel calculated calories for Gazans -- Slate

My Comment: Cold and brutal .... and terribly effective.

Military Clashes Continue Between Israel And Gaza

Palestinians carry the body of Makawi during his funeral in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip. Daily Star

Israeli Air Force Strikes Gaza Following Hamas Mortar Attack -- Bloomberg Businessweek

Israel’s air force hit the Gaza Strip for a second time in 24 hours after a barrage of mortar shells and rockets struck the south of the country, the army said.

Five people were wounded in the air strike, Asharf al- Qedra, spokesman for the Hamas-run Ministry of Health, told reporters today. Earlier, as many as many as 30 mortar shells and rockets hit southern Israel, causing no injuries, the army said. Hamas and Islamic Jihad jointly claimed responsibility for the attack.

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More News On Today's Clashes Between Israel And Gaza

Israel and Palestinian Militants in Missile Battle -- Wall Street Journal
Israel launches strikes on Gaza after rocket fire -- BBC
Palestinians: Israeli strikes in Gaza kill 1, wound 15 -- CNN
Israel Launches Airstrikes After Attacks From Gaza -- New York Times
Israel strikes Gaza targets afterrocket exchange with militants -- Daily Star/Reuters
IDF strikes Gaza sites in response to Hamas rocket fire -- Haaretz
Hamas launches rockets at Israel in order to save face in Gaza -- Haaretz