Smoke rises after an Israel air strike at a building near the border with Egypt in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip, on January 06, 2009. Israeli troops battled Hamas fighters in major cities of overcrowded Gaza today as Israel spurned appeals to halt a war on the Islamists that has killed at least 580 Palestinians. Israeli tanks firing cannons and backed by helicopter gunships rolled into the southern city of Khan Yunis in the pre-dawn hours, to be met by return fire from Hamas and other militant groups, witnesses said. Getty Images logo Getty Images 10 months ago

Smoke rises after an Israel air strike at a building near the border with Egypt in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip, on January 06, 2009. Israeli troops battled Hamas fighters in major cities of overcrowded Gaza today as Israel spurned appeals to halt a war on the Islamists that has killed at least 580 Palestinians. Israeli tanks firing cannons and backed by helicopter gunships rolled into the southern city of Khan Yunis in the pre-dawn hours, to be met by return fire from Hamas and other militant groups, witnesses said.

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  1. Hamas leader Ismail Haniya, the prime minister of the Hamas-run government in Gaza, speaks at the parliament in Gaza city on October 5, 2009 against the Palestinian Authority's support for delaying the endorsement of a UN report on possible war crimes committed during Israel's Gaza offensive. Haniya accused Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas of the 'absurd and criminal' decision to delay endorsement of the report, a move he said endangered Egyptian-brokered national unity talks.
  2. Hamas leader Ismail Haniya, the prime minister of the Hamas-run government in Gaza, speaks at the parliament in Gaza city on October 5, 2009 against the Palestinian Authority's support for delaying the endorsement of a UN report on possible war crimes committed during Israel's Gaza offensive. Haniya accused Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas of the 'absurd and criminal' decision to delay endorsement of the report, a move he said endangered Egyptian-brokered national unity talks.
  3. A Hamas movement supporter holds a poster showing Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa mosque, Islam's third holiest shrine, with Hamas protesters superimposed in the background, during a demonstration in the southern Lebanese port city of Sidon on October 4, 2009 against a UN decision to delay a vote on a report accusing Israel of war crimes in the Gaza Strip. The Palestinian Authority is under fire for giving in to what critics said was US and Israeli pressure to defer a vote by the UN Human Rights Council on the report by the former international war crimes prosecutor Richard Goldstone.
  4. Hamas leader Ismail Haniya (R) gives a speech on October 4, 2009 during a reception at his office in Gaza City for Roudah Habib (L), the final Palestinian woman prisoner set free by Israel as part of a breakthrough swap with the Hamas movement for a video of its soldier held in Gaza for more than three years. Habib was released into Gaza via the Erez crossing, where she was greeted by relatives and friends before being escorted to Haniya's office, Habib's sister told.
  5. Hamas leader Ismail Haniya offers flowers to Roudah Habib (C), the final Palestinian woman prisoner set free by Israel as part of a breakthrough swap with the Hamas movement for a video of its soldier held in Gaza for more than three years, as he welcomes her at his office in Gaza city following her release on October 4, 2009. Habib was released into Gaza via the Erez crossing, where she was greeted by relatives and friends before being escorted to Haniya's office, Habib's sister told.
  6. Hamas leader Ismail Haniya waves to the crowd near house in Gaza City of the the final Palestinian woman prisoner released by Israel on October 4, 2009 as part of a breakthrough swap with the Hamas movement for a video of its soldier held in Gaza for more than three years. Roudah Habib was released into Gaza via the Erez crossing, where she was greeted by relatives and friends before being escorted to Haniya's office, Habib's sister told.
  7. Hamas leader Ismail Haniya waves to the crowd near house in Gaza City of the the final Palestinian woman prisoner released by Israel on October 4, 2009 as part of a breakthrough swap with the Hamas movement for a video of its soldier held in Gaza for more than three years. Roudah Habib was released into Gaza via the Erez crossing, where she was greeted by relatives and friends before being escorted to Haniya's office, Habib's sister told.
  8. Senior Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh (3rd R) waves after his visit to the house of newly released Palestinian prisoner Rawda Saed (not pictured) in Gaza City October 4, 2009. Israel freed the Palestinian woman prisoner to the Gaza Strip on Sunday, the last of 20 it has swapped for a videotape that provided the first visible evidence that a soldier captured in 2006 was still alive.
  9. Senior Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh (3rd R) waves after his visit to the house of newly released Palestinian prisoner Rawda Saed (not pictured) in Gaza City October 4, 2009. Israel freed the Palestinian woman prisoner to the Gaza Strip on Sunday, the last of 20 it has swapped for a videotape that provided the first visible evidence that a soldier captured in 2006 was still alive.
  10. Palestinians from Hamas burn an Israeli flag during a protest against Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, at Marty's Square in the southern port city of Sidon, Lebanon, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2009. Abbas faced growing outrage among Palestinians Sunday over his decision to withdraw support for a U.N. report that alleged Israel and Hamas committed war crimes in last winter's Gaza war.
  11. Gaza Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas, right, holds a press conference with released Palestinian prisoner Rawda Saad, left, in Gaza City, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2009. Israel released Saad, 31, as part of a prisoner deal which started last week. Israel agreed to release 20 female prisoners held on security charges in return for a videotape of an Israeli soldier held by Hamas.
  12. Hamas leader Ismail Haniya greets newly freed Palestinian prisoner Fatima Yunes al-Zaq and her son Yussef, who was born in an Israeli jail, at a welcoming ceremony in Gaza City October 2, 2009. Nineteen Palestinian women prisoners were freed in a breakthrough swap for a video of soldier Gilad Shalit, who has been held by Gaza militants since 2006.
  13. Hamas leader Ismail Haniya places a flower garland on newly-freed Palestinian prisoner Fatima Yunes al-Zaq, who holds her son Yussef, who was born in an Israeli jail, at a welcoming ceremony in Gaza City October 2, 2009. Nineteen Palestinian women prisoners were freed from Israeli jails in a breakthrough swap for a video of soldier Gilad Shalit, who has been held by Gaza militants since 2006.
  14. Hamas leader Ismail Haniya rises up his hands next to newly freed Palestinian prisoner Fatima Yunes al-Zaq and her son Yussef, who was born in an Israeli jail, at a welcoming ceremony in Gaza City October 2, 2009. Nineteen Palestinian women prisoners were freed in a breakthrough swap for a video of soldier Gilad Shalit, who has been held by Gaza militants since 2006.
  15. Khaled Mashaal, exiled head of the Hamas political bureau, speaks at a ceremony marking the 'Civil Campaign for Celebrating Jerusalem, Captial of Arab Culture 2009' in Damascus on October 02, 2009.
  16. Hamas leader Ismail Haniya carries Yusuf, the son of newly-freed Palestinian prisoner Fatima Yunes al-Zaq, who gave birth to Yusuf in an Israeli jail, at a welcoming ceremony in Gaza City on October 2, 2009. Nineteen Palestinian women prisoners were freed from Israeli jails in a breakthrough swap for a video of soldier Gilad Shalit, who has been held by Gaza militants since 2006.

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