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On Dec. 27, two weeks after Hamas suspended a ceasefire and continued launching rockets into Israel's southern cities, Israel launched Operation Cast Lead. Its purpose, according to Dore Gold, former Israel Ambassador to the U.N., was to bring a halt to the indiscriminate rocket fire against Israel communities north of the Gaza Strip and elsewhere since 2001 and to halt smuggling through tunnels through the Gaza-Egypt border.

Week one was comprised of air assaults; ground forces have been used since week two.

On Jan. 6, Hamas fired from a school and Israel retaliated; on Jan. 8, a U.N. truck driver was killed, spurring the U.N. to threaten to stop deliveries of humanitarian aid. On the same day, Katyushas were fired from Lebanon, striking an old-age home in Nahariya.

Egypt is considering how to stop the flow of weapons through the 14-kilometer (approximately 9 miles) Philadelphi Corridor into Gaza. Since Operation Cast Lead began, the IDF has destroyed 150 tunnels and estimates 150 remain.

Contrary to many media reports, the IDF has continually allowed humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip. Israel has facilitated the transfer of 780 trucks into Gaza carrying more than 17,000 tons of foods and medical supplies.

Since the beginning of Operation Cast Lead, Israeli defense officials at the Coordination and Liaison Administration (CLA) have been working together with the international organizations in the Gaza Strip as well as various governments in order to assess the humanitarian needs, requirements, and make the necessary response.

International aid groups have even asked that Israel briefly suspend shipments since there is no more room in their Gaza warehouses. The total number of aid trucks from the beginning of Operation Cast Lead is now 1,028 (25,322 tons).

Since Jan. 7, the IDF has implemented a "humanitarian recess" for three hours on a daily basis, in accordance with the needs and the security situation in the area. Open contacts and a 24-hour "hot line" with the international organizations (UNRWA, ICRC, WHO, WFP, etc.) have also been established in order to evaluate and coordinate the humanitarian needs and requirements of the Palestinian civilian population.

Recently, there have been reports that Hamas elements are confiscating food donations sent into Gaza, in particular flour, which Hamas is selling, often at outrageous prices. There was also a description of how Hamas had transferred the donations to its own warehouses, and was distributing them to only two bakeries in the city -- both owned by Hamas.

The Israeli army has dropped leaflets warning of impending air strikes and ground movements to civilians, telling them their problems are caused by Hamas. They were also given a phone number and email to call in tips about the location of terrorists and weapons. These warnings will be used to defend Israel against allegations that it committed war crimes, according to international law experts. It is likely to be precedent-setting in arguments about Israel's self-defense and Hamas using human shields or civilians protecting armed combatants.

As of press time, 13 Israelis have been killed; 10 are soldiers.

As of press time on Wednesday, Jan. 14, IDF forces, including infantry, tanks, combat engineers, artillery, and intelligence, continue to operate throughout the Gaza Strip with the assistance of the Israel Air Force and the Israeli Navy. In addition, a number of rockets were launched into northern Israel Jan. 14, but there were no casualties or damage as a result of the attack.

Dual nationals have been evacuated; blood has been donated by Jordan; Turkey has donated ambulances as has the Palestinian Red Crescent Society; 34 people have been evacuated from Gaza to Israel for medical needs, including two children.

The IAF attacked more than 100 targets since the early morning hours of Jan. 14, including: 55 weapons smuggling tunnels in the southern Gaza Strip; 20 rocket launching sites; 22 cells of armed gunmen, some of which were targeted in coordination with ground forces. Working with infantry troops in northern Gaza, a combat engineering force carried out a controlled detonation of a tunnel leading into Israeli territory in the vicinity of the Nahal Oz terminal. The tunnel, uncovered Jan. 13 in a joint IDF-ISA effort, was apparently intended to be used to kidnap Israeli citizens or soldiers.

The Jewish Agency for Israel has launched a major initiative to offer respite to more than 23,500 youth from the greater Sderot area with day and overnight activities out of the area under rocket attack. The program, which had previously helped children and teens in the greater Sderot area during earlier periods of rocket fire, has now been significantly expanded with trips that can accommodate thousands of youth from the area daily, following a decision last week by the United Jewish Communities-Federations of North America to allocate $5.5 million in emergency funding for the project. Since Jan. 8, thousands of children and teens ages 10-17 have gone on day trips and thousands are traveling out of the area to the Sea of Galilee, Jerusalem, Eilat, and other places.

In addition to the respite programs, the Jewish Agency's fund for Victims of Terror has been extremely active in providing immediate financial assistance to families whose homes have been hit by rockets, in particular to 77 families.

More than a dozen Israeli companies have also partnered with the Jewish Agency to fund or enhance Jewish Agency activities or provide additional service for people in the area under attack, such as distributing basic supplies and toys to hundreds of shelters in the south.

Special attention is also being given to the 3,200 new immigrants at the 10 Jewish Agency Absorption Centers, which have now come under threat of rocket fire.

At press time, Hamas had suffered significant losses and some of its leaders were pressing for a ceasefire; some of their fighters have deserted, and the Palestinian public has become increasingly vocal in calling for an end to Hamas provocations.

Sybil Kaplan is a journalist who lived in Israel in the 1970s for 10 years working as a foreign correspondent. She and her husband moved to Jerusalem this past August and she is covering Operation Cast Lead from Israel.