White House response was favorable.  "These people are nothing but thugs, and so Israel is going to defend its people against terrorists like Hamas," spokesman Gordon Johndroe said at George W. Bush's Texas ranch, where the president is preparing to spend the new year.  "If Hamas stops firing rockets into Israel, then Israel would not have a need for strikes in Gaza," Johndroe said. "What we've got to see is Hamas stop firing rockets into Israel."

"The United States hold Hamas responsible for breaking the ceasefire; we want the ceasefire restored. We're concerned about the humanitarian situation and want all parties concerned to work to make sure the people of Gaza get the humanitarian assistance they need," said Johndroe.

When queried, US president-elect Barack Obamas chief national security spokesperson Brooke Anderson said Obma was  "monitoring" the deadly violence in the Gaza strip while he is on vacation in Hawaii.

UN chief Ban Ki-moon called for an immediate halt to the violence , as did the European Union, Russia, Britain and France, while several Middle Eastern states and the Arab League slammed Israel.  Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak , who brokered the six-month truce, slammed the "Israeli military aggression on the Gaza Strip" and blamed "Israel, as an occupying force, for the victims and the wounded."

Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, the head of the governing Kadima party and one of the front-runners for the premier's chair, said that "today there is no other option than a military operation."

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, taking a soft stance as usual, pledged Israel will do its utmost to avert a humanitarian crisis in Gaza, which is under a crippling Israeli blockade.  "The people in Gaza do not deserve to suffer because of the killers and murderers of the terrorist organization," he said, referring to Hamas.  He insisted that Israel had only hit Hamas targets, including command structures and rocket-manufacturing installations.

Where was the world outrage when the rockets were slamming into Israel daily, killing Israeli citizens, destroying property, disrupting a free peoples way of life?  Nothing!  No condemnation from the UN and praise from the Arab countries and Iran.  Why does the world accept terrorism against Israel?  Why does the world blindly accept Israeli deaths and kidnapping of it's soldiers?  Why does the world leadership not take action in condemning these actions? Indeed, they should take military action against these terrorist operations or at least allow Israel a free hand to deal with it.