Israel maintains Gaza offensive

ISRAEL was pushing on with its deadly offensive in Gaza despite reservations of army chiefs.

Senior officers were reported to have told Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon that Operation Days of Penitence, launched 13 days ago, had now met its main objective and managed to halt rocket attacks on southern Israel.

But Mr Sharon, keen to deliver a decisive blow to Gaza-based militant factions before next year’s planned pull-out, told top brass that they must push on with the operation, according to Israeli public radio and the Haaretz newspaper.