Consequences

Hamas threatens serious consequences if their demands aren't met by Tuesday. This would be as opposed to what they explicitly state in the Hamas charter? And it would be no different than any other day of the year when Hamas seeks Israel's destruction in open declarations, printed words, and deeds. More Kassam rockets were fired into Israel today.

For those keeping track, that would be attacks every single day since this crisis started.

Hamas is threatening Israeli schools and hospitals. Again, this isn't actually anything new. The Palestinian terrorists have long targeted areas that could result in mass casualties. Israel continues to mass troops along Gaza's northern border. Israeli Prime Minister Olmert rejects the ultimatum and considers it nothing more than blackmail.

A human rights group, Physicians for Human Rights, complains that the Israeli jets flying supersonic over Gaza is tantamount to pyschological torture. That would be as opposed to Palestinian terrorists firing rockets with warheads that would otherwise kill or maim those in its path? No word from the group about that or Hamas threats against Israeli schools and hospitals. After all, those threats are not just a temporary and passing sonic boom, but rather an ongoing threat to the safety and security of doctors and patients at Israeli hospitals.

Russia insists that the Palestinians release Shalit.

The IAF eliminates a Hamas terrorist in northern Gaza.

Wizbang notes that the Palestinians continue to engage in the big lie technique. None of Hamas' latest threats are any different than their earlier actions, which included targeting schools and hospitals. And the media does a poor job pointing out that very basic fact.

Others covering the ongoing Gaza crisis: Vital Perspective, Blue Crab Boulevard, Carl in Jerusalem, Kesher Talk, and Meryl Yourish.

UPDATE:
Charles at LGF reports that Israeli authorities have raided Hamas-front charities in the West Bank. He wonders what took Israel so long. You've got to go after the funding sources if you want to be successful in the long run in counter terrorism.

France and Norway are urging Israeli restraint. Funny, but shouldn't they be urging Hamas to release Shalit post-haste, instead of ratcheting up the tension with ever more rediculous demands?

UPDATE:
Hamas is ticking down the time til the Israelis must comply with their demands. The terrorists demand that Israel meet their demands by 11 PM EDT tonite or else Shalit is going to die. Well, that presumes that Shalit isn't already dead, or that Israel wont launch a rescue operation in the meantime. While I pray that Shalit is still alive and his wounds are being tended to, past experience has shown that the Palestinian terrorists have absolutely no regard for the lives of those they capture.

UPDATE:
Palestinians are still complaining about how Hamas 'legislators' are being treated. So is Switzerland (though one can question whether the Swiss would ever tolerate a foreign country that repeatedly fires rockets and missiles at the Swiss lads and lasses hoping to pad the body count. Never mind the bombs tossed at Israelis. Or the Molotov cocktails. Nothing to see there.

Meanwhile, the IDF has surrounded a Ramallah police station on the basis that some of those inside were responsible for Eliyahu Ashri's murder.

And for comic relief, Hamas calls for diplomacy to work out the differences.

UPDATE:
In Ramallah, three terrorists who killed Eliyahu Asheri surrendered after being surrounded by the Israelis for three hours.

The deadline is slowly counting down. Hot Air has regular updates. So does Israellycool.

UPDATE:
Vinnie at the Jawa Report says woe unto Hamas if Shalit isn't promptly released before the deadline. After the deadline, all bets are off for Hamas' continued existence. My Vast Right Wing Conspriacy has similar thoughts.

Technorati: terrorism, fatah, Gilad, Shalit, Olmert, Eliyahu, Asheri, Ashri, Abbas, Rains, Summer, cavaliers, wrath, PRC, Hamas, Gaza, palestinian, Israel