From CFR

Gaza Land Raids

The conflict between Israel and Hamas intensified significantly on Saturday as Israeli ground troops launched a ground invasion into the Gaza Strip. The New York Times reports Israeli tanks and soldiers have pushed deep into Gaza, taking control of some areas from which militants have fired rockets into Israel, and cutting a swath through the territory in order to surround Gaza City. http://m1e.net/c?69785333-5Pp6CD4xEI7g6%403867674-6sN7.iv5ZI1xE Despite Israeli efforts to control regions along its border with Gaza, the Times reports Palestinian militants continued lobbing rockets into southern Israel through much of Sunday.

The BBC reports more than 500 people have been killed in Gaza since fighting started ten days ago, and some 2,500 more have been wounded. http://m1e.net/c?69785333-YYjVwRtqFt2Rg%403867675-8iPY1he/A9p8k Al-Jazeera reports on casualties among Palestinian civilians. http://m1e.net/c?69785333-90YFLn7AeMcK6%403867676-Kq5A4Ch.RqLq6

Israel's push into Gaza comes despite a series of international calls for a ceasefire. Two high-level diplomatic missions to the region are being spearheaded separately by French President Nicolas Sarkozy and a delegation of EU officials (AFP). http://m1e.net/c?69785333-9ooQRjGMZP2Po%403867677-6dYcwlw9XCO/M U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has also called for a ceasefire (AP), http://m1e.net/c?69785333-8BzM51LurIIdQ%403867678-flL15eksSXvhw as have senior officials from Britain's foreign ministry (Guardian). http://m1e.net/c?69785333-eSYH1LIuYjBRA%403867679-v3dFXFimAsTTM

Among Arab leaders, Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah met this weekend with Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan in an effort to raise money to assist Palestinians and bring the Israeli raids to an end (Arab News). http://m1e.net/c?69785333-6KmiKWW75ZyBE%403867680-Y8ORCUrmfjUQk Iranian and Syrian officials also held bilateral talks on how to help Gaza residents (Fars). http://m1e.net/c?69785333-RV1xUev6s7ylE%403867681-VMIfwTawSvwHc Meanwhile, the Israeli paper Haaretz reports Egyptian officials will meet today with leaders from Hamas and may press them to accept an immediate truce. http://m1e.net/c?69785333-1PIB.hoqR96rk%403867682-4mbAsZLk.Z.8s

Background and Analysis:

- The BBC has a map and timeline detailing Israeli troop movements within Gaza. http://m1e.net/c?69785333-4Rbc1MufF7G3Q%403867683-MCrP7PaniGpt2

- The Middle East Times surveys Arab media reaction to the flare-up. http://m1e.net/c?69785333-MGyq/ZWaAkVnc%403867684-6JWjtu0shZRI2

- CFR.org's Crisis Guide on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict examines the roots of the region's problems. http://m1e.net/c?69785333-MXiCAzjCJTET2%403867685-dpc6oUgg/l.Ls

- CFR's Steven Cook discusses what the current fighting might mean for the incoming Obama administration. http://m1e.net/c?69785333-oa9bOIh3foEa6%403867686-0VAclBisYWAGM