The Israeli military Operation "Cast Lead" in the Gaza Strip continued for the seventh day in a row. Palestinians in Gaza received the New Year with loud voices of the Israeli raids that took the number of Palestinian victims to 400, including senior Hamas leader Nizar Rayan, in addition to about 2000 injured. Israel is expected to launch an imminent ground attack after it refused the international proposals for a truce. For his part, Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul-Gheit stressed that Egypt would not be dragged into an armed clash as long as its security, interests and borders are not threatened. The Rafah port resumed receiving the wounded Palestinians to be treated in the Egyptian hospitals. The Ministry of Health has declared the emergency state in Al-Arish Public Hospital, which received 81 cases and transported 16 injured by military planes to Al-Maadi Hospital and Nasser Institute in Cairo. On the other hand, a security source disclosed that the Palestinians stranded on the borders, 450 in number, have been allowed to cross. On the political level, Abul-Gheit said: "The Egyptian flag will not be called because it is unthreatened", referring to Hizbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah's speech which called on Egypt to supply Gaza with fuel, food, men and weapons.
