Israel Rejects Truce, Presses on With Gaza Strikes  —  Israel continued airstrikes against Gaza Strip targets for a fourth day on Tuesday, destroying civic and other buildings linked to the militant Hamas movement in a campaign Israeli leaders say will continue until the group is crippled.

Ghetto Blasters  —  In angry retaliation for the house arrest of Bernie Madoff, Israel has launched a hellacious air assault against Hamas in Gaza that errs so far on the side of disproportionality that its running up the fatality score may become self-defeating.  Johann Hari in The Independent:

Israel vows to sweep Hamas from power  —  Israel vowed yesterday to sweep Hamas from power in Gaza, pledging “all-out” war and promising to smash every building linked to the Islamist movement.  —  Hamas continued to lob rockets at the Jewish state as Israeli forces carried out a third …

ANALYSIS / Hamas is hoping for an IDF ground operation  —  Three days into Operation Cast Lead, Israel is proposing a diplomatic exit.  A ground operation likely looms in an effort to increase the pressure on Hamas.  At the same time, however, others argue that the air force is close …

Death Toll Surpasses 350 in Fourth Day of Conflict  —  JERUSALEM — Israel launched airstrikes against Hamas targets in Gaza for a fourth consecutive day on Tuesday after Defense Minister Ehud Barak told Parliament that his country was waging an “all-out war with Hamas” and another official ruled out a cease-fire.

Has Israel Revived Hamas?  —  JERUSALEM — In its efforts to stop amateur rockets from nagging the residents of some of its southern cities, Israel appears to have given new life to the fledging Islamic movement in Palestine.  —  For two years, the Islamic Resistance Movement …