"The latest deaths bring the number of Palestinians killed since a rocket fired from inside Gaza killed a 44-year-old Israeli in the town of Sderot last week to 80. Two Israeli soldiers also died in the fighting. Late last night, the office of the Hamas prime minister, Ismail Haniyeh, was attacked by an Israeli aircraft, which hit the building with three missiles. Although no casualties were reported, witnesses said the building was destroyed.

The latest bloodshed comes as an Observer investigation revealed how Israel is again deliberately obstructing the transfer of urgent medical cases for treatment outside Gaza, in the latest extension of its policy of collective punishment of Palestinians.

The death toll climbed through yesterday as Israeli troops targeted Palestinian militants who fired rockets and mortar shells into Israel. The operation follows last week's warning by Israel's deputy defence minister, Matan Vilnai, that a 'holocaust' would be unleashed on Gaza if rocket fire was not halted."

OK then Emma B, there are two peoples shoes I want you to climb into here and view the situation from their perspective:

The first is from the perspective of someone who is responsible for the safety of the general population at large in Israel. You are faced with the problem of a group, or several groups, of people firing rockets from their land into your civilian centres of population. Their aim is to kill as many of your people as possible, these people have trying to do this with varying degrees of success for the last 88 years. They have clearly stated that their goal is your annihilation - How do you view them? What is your response? You are primarily responsible for the protection of your people.

The second is from the perspective of a Palestinian Arab father with a family, who is living next to a small piece of waste ground upon which a "militant" group have assembled a firing point for rockets. By bitter experience you know that they will be extremely lucky to kill one Israeli, and even if they don't, you know that return fire may kill 80 of your neighbours, possibly including your own children, all this due to the fact that they have positioned their firing point in the middle of a civilian centre of population. Who do you blame for the ensuing deaths? Do you ever question the stance that "victory" can only ever be achieved by the total annihilation of Israel and its people? Have you ever embraced the thought that people can co-exist and work in harmony?

Remember this from what you have quoted:

1. "Palestinian militants who fired rockets and mortar shells into Israel." - i.e. indiscriminate fire at civilian targets inside Israel.

2. "Israeli troops targeted Palestinian militants who fired rockets and mortar shells into Israel."

See any marked difference there Emma? I look forward with interst to what you have to say.