Hundreds Of Women Captured By ISIS Fighters

Hundreds of women from the Yazidi religious minority have been taken captive by Islamist militants, Iraq's government has said.

Kamil Amin, a spokesman for the country's human rights ministry, said the women were kidnapped by Islamic State (IS) fighters.

He added that some of the women are being held in schools in Iraq's second city Mosul, and that the ministry learned of the kidnappings from the victims' families.

"We think that the terrorists by now consider them slaves and they have vicious plans for them," Mr Amin said.

"We think that these women are going to be used in demeaning ways by those terrorists to satisfy their animalistic urges in a way that contradicts all the human and Islamic values."

The aftermath of US airstrikes near Irbil, seen from the Khazer Checkpoint

A US official speaking on condition of anonymity said IS militants kidnapped the women so they could be sold or married off to extremist fighters.

Some 50,000 residents from the ancient Yazidi community fled the northern Iraqi town of Sinjar after IS militants overwhelmed Kurdish forces this month.

Many Yazidis are trapped on Mount Sinjar without food or water and are at risk of starvation as militants surround the base.

Kurdish media has reported that Peshmerga forces have rescued 11,000 of those trapped in the mountains.

The US has been carrying out airstrikes against the militants in the north of the country.

An F/A-18C Hornet aboard the USS George HW Bush on August 8

Two F/A-18 aircraft dropped 500lb laser-guided bombs on a mobile artillery piece near Irbil, the capital of the semi-autonomous Kurdish region.

Later on Friday, two further strikes were carried out near Irbil, targeting mortar positions and a convoy of IS vehicles.

On Thursday, the US also dropped thousands of gallons of drinking water and 8,000 packaged meals to Yazidis.

President Barack Obama said the airdrops were made at the request of the Iraqi government as IS fighters tightened their grip on northern Iraq.

In his remarks late Thursday, he mentioned "chilling reports" of fighters with the group "rounding up families, conducting mass executions, and enslaving Yazidi women".

IS believes the Yazidis, who are followers of a religion derived from Zoroastrianism, are "devil worshippers".

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US Launches Fresh Airstrikes On Iraq Jihadists

The US has launched a second round of airstrikes on Islamic State (IS) targets in northern Iraq.

Rear Admiral John Kirby said a drone strike hit a mortar position near Irbil, the capital of the semi-autonomous Kurdish region.

A further strike took place when four F/A-18 fighter jets hit a stationary convoy of seven militants' vehicles and a mortar position.

"On both runs, each aircraft dropped one laser-guided bomb making a total of eight bombs dropped on target neutralising the mortar and convoy," a Pentagon statement said.

The fresh airstrikes came after two F/A-18 planes had earlier dropped 500lb laser-guided bombs on a mobile artillery unit near Irbil.

Islamic State militants have been advancing in Iraq

The US said Islamist militants had been using the artillery to shell Kurdish forces defending the city, where US personnel are located.

Iraq's government has also claimed that hundreds of women from the Yazidi religious minority have been taken captive by fighters for IS, formerly known as ISIS.

Officials say the first round of strikes were launched from the USS George HW Bush, which was moved to the Gulf in June to prepare for possible military action in Iraq.

On Thursday, President Barack Obama authorised the first US airstrikes on Iraq since he pulled all troops out in 2011, arguing action was needed to halt the advance of the militants.

But the President, who opposed the 2003 invasion, has vowed there would be no return of ground troops to Iraq.

"As commander in chief, I will not allow the United States to be dragged into fighting another war in Iraq," he said.

He vowed to protect American citizens and religious minorities and to prevent a "genocide" by the IS, Sunni fighters who are intent on eradicating non-believers.

Christian refugees have also fled to Irbil

In Britain, Defence Secretary Michael Fallon expressed a willingness to help Americans in their efforts to provide humanitarian support.

In the hours after the airstrikes, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) banned all US civilian flights over Iraq. British Airways also decided to stop flying over the war-torn region.

Other international airlines including Turkish Airlines, Lufthansa and Austrian Airlines have halted their flights to Irbil until Monday.

Some 50,000 residents from the ancient Yazidi community have been forced to leave the northern Iraqi town of Sinjar after the militants overwhelmed Kurdish forces.

Many Yazidis are trapped on Mount Sinjar without food or water and are at risk of starvation as the militants surround the base.

Kurdish media has reported that Peshmerga forces have rescued 11,000 of those trapped in the mountains.

On Thursday, the US dropped thousands of gallons of drinking water and 8,000 packaged meals to Yazidis.

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Libs Dems 'To Stop Drug Users Going To Jail'

By Joanna Simpson, Sky News Reporter

The Liberal Democrats are announcing that if they win the next General Election they will stop people found in possession of drugs for personal use being sent to jail.

The manifesto pledge will state that if no other offence has been committed an alternative sentence should be given instead of a prison term.

The effective decriminalisation they say would be more effective as it should be regarded as a health issue therefore the drugs and alcohol policy would be removed from the Home Office brief and given to the Department of Health.

The party states that each year more than 1,000 people in England in Wales are jailed for possession of drugs for their own personal use.

It says the £5m would be better spent tackling addiction in the community as many of those imprisoned have a medical problem.

Civil penalties such as warnings or fines could be among those imposed instead or criminal cautions, probation or community service.

Currently the maximum penalty for possession of a Class A drug in the UK is seven years in prison. For a Class B drug it's up to five years and Class C up to two years.

For all classes of drugs there can also be an unlimited fine given either as an alternative or in addition to the jail term.

In 2012, the UK Drug Policy Commission published a report called "A Fresh Approach to Drugs".

It was based on a six-year study which recommended that possession of certain drugs for personal use should become a civil rather than a criminal offence.

The independent advisory body, which included scientists and senior police officers, wrote: "The evidence from other countries that have done this is that it would not necessarily lead to any significant increase in use, while providing opportunities to address some of the harms associated with existing drug laws."

The Home Secretary Theresa May rejected it, telling MPs: "People can die as a result of taking drugs, and significant mental health problems can arise."

The report stated that the UK has 2,000 drug-related deaths each year and more than 380,000 problem drug users.

Support services warn that criminalising people means those in need may be reluctant to ask for help.

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President Obama Approves Airstrikes in Iraq

President Obama has approved airstrikes in Iraq, as he confirmed US planes had dropped aid to Iraqis trapped by Islamist fighters.

The aircraft delivered food and water and have safely left the immediate drop zone, said the US Defence Department.

President Obama said he had also approved targeted airstrikes - if necessary - to protect US citizens working in Irbil, and also to prevent a potential "genocide" of the Yazidi people

He stressed there was no intention of sending in any troops.

Members of the Yazidi community were left stranded on Mount Sinjar

It comes as around 40,000 residents from the ancient Yazidi community were forced to leave the northern Iraqi town of Sinjar after Sunni fighters overwhelmed Kurdish forces.

Many of them are trapped on Mount Sinjar without food or water and are at risk of starvation as Islamist militants surround the base.

Obama in discussion with his national security team

"Today I authorised two operations in Iraq," said President Obama.

"Targeted airstrikes to protect our American personnel and a humanitarian effort to save thousands of Iraqi civilians."

The President said the military would act to stop the advance on Irbil by The Islamic State - the group previously known as ISIS or ISIL.

The US has a consulate in the city, where civilian and military staff work.

Kurdish troops were overwhelmed by militants in Sinjar

Militants have been surging across the north of Iraq towards Irbil, the capital of the Kurdish region.

"I've directed our military to take targeted strikes against ISIL convoys, should they move toward the city," said President Obama.

"We intend to stay vigilant and take action if these terrorist forces threaten our personnel or facilities anywhere in Iraq."

Sky sources at the Pentagon say C-130 and C-17 cargo aircraft participated in Thursday's aid drop on Mount Sinjar, and were escorted by F-18 fighters.

President Obama said the Iraqi government had asked the US for help, with as many of tens of thousands hiding on the mountain with "little but the clothes on their backs".

"Children are dying of thirst, meanwhile ISIL forces have called for the destruction of the entire Yazidi people, which would constitute genocide," the president said.

"These innocent families are faced with a horrible choice: Descend the mountain and be slaughtered, or stay and slowly die of thirst and hunger."

Airstrikes had been approved to stop a potential "massacre" of the Yazidis, said the president.

He said they would be used - if necessary - to help Iraqi forces "break the siege of Mount Sinjar and protect the civilians there".

The Islamic State has issued the Yazidi people an ultimatum to convert to Islam, pay a religious fine, flee their homes or face death.

It sees the Yazidis, who are followers of a religion derived from Zoroastrianism, as "devil worshippers".

Hundreds of thousands of people, mostly Christians, are fleeing from the jihadists who have swept through more than a dozen towns.

Among them, the militants captured Iraq's biggest Christian town, Qaraqosh, prompting many residents to leave.

More follows...

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Mum And Son Sleep In 'Prison' Bedroom For Years

By Jason Farrell, Senior Political Correspondent

A Sky News Investigation has found families are being forced to live in unsuitable temporary accommodation for up to seven years.

Government figures show that 80,000 children are among the increasing numbers of those living in limbo because councils can not find them proper homes.

Some are forced to live in hostels or B&Bs where they are only supposed to remain for up to six weeks.

The number of families with children overstaying in B&Bs has quadrupled since 2010.

A separate study by the charity Shelter, seen exclusively by Sky News, reveals 41% of families in temporary homes in London are kept there for more than two years.

Derya said the cramped bedroom was like a prison cell

Roger Harding from Shelter told Sky News: "We were really surprised by the number of families having to live in temporary accommodation for so long.

"That's 4,000 families living in temporary accommodation for over two years and that's them living in a place where their life has been put on hold.

"They don't have the foundation of a stable home to get back on their feet and to properly look for jobs and get their kids into permanent schools.

"It's just really tough for those families."

More than 4,000 families live in B&Bs in 2014

Even though they are often more cramped, it costs taxpayers more to house families in emergency or temporary accommodation than in normal council homes.

Mother Derya Dosdogru was given a one bedroom flat in North London as emergency accommodation when she became pregnant.

The bedroom is two metres by two metres and has no windows.

Enfield council initially said she could move somewhere more appropriate within six months.

But seven years later she and her son still shared the box-like bedroom surrounded by unpacked belongings.

She described it as "like a cell" and like being "in prison" without daylight.

Storage items are stacked up high in Derya Dosdogru's old flat

Ms Dosdogru and her son were recently moved out after being assisted by local charity Raising My Voice Foundation.

During those seven years her flat cost the council between £200 and £300 a week.

Classed as temporary or emergency accommodation rent can be up to three times that of a two bed council property - a bill footed by taxpayers.

Temporary or emergency homes are supposed to be a short term fix for homeless families.

But the number of those in Derya's situation has risen 20% in three years to over 58,000.

Roger Harding from Shelter says it's tough for families in temporary homes

When it comes to those in B&Bs, it has doubled from 2,050 families in the first quarter of 2010 to 4,370 in the first quarter of this year.

Henry Gregg from the National Housing Association said: "The increasing number of people languishing in bed and breakfast, hostels and private rented accommodation, often with shared bathrooms and toilets, which is completely unsuitable for families, shows there is a real problem.

"We just don't build enough homes."

But Housing Minister Brandon Lewis told Sky News: "Councils have a responsibility to house families in settled accommodation as quickly as possible.

"We have given them the tools to do this, including strengthening their powers to provide quality privately rented accommodation and providing more than £1bn to tackle homelessness and to support people affected by welfare reform.

"The number of households in temporary accommodation is well below the peak reached under the previous administration, which hit 101,000 in 2004.

"Households now spend on average eight months less in temporary accommodation than at the start of 2010."

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Obama: Ebola Drug ZMapp 'Not Ready For Africa'

It is too soon to send an experimental drug to Africa to treat the deadly ebola virus, according to Barack Obama.

Two Americans are already receiving the ZMapp drug in the US, but the President said efforts should focus on improving facilities and sending more aid workers to the region.

"We've got to let the science guide us," the US President said.

"I don't think all the information is in on whether this drug is helpful. What we do know is that the ebola virus - both currently and in the past - is controllable if you have strong public health infrastructure in place."

"Let's get all the health workers that we need on the ground,"  he added. "Let's help to bolster the systems that they already have in place.

"During the course of that process, I think it's entirely appropriate for us to see if there are additional drugs or medical treatments (that can help)."

Nigeria's health minister, Onyenbuchi Chukwu, told reporters he had asked the US about accessing the experimental drug, ZMapp.

However, there are "virtually no doses available", according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

As debate over the drug continues, people are continuing to die in West Africa, with Liberia's president declaring a state of emergency.

Another 45 people died between August 2 and 4, with another 108 suspected cases identified, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Dr Brantly reportedly improved after taking ZMapp. Pic: Samaritans Purse

The death toll now stands at 932.

Most of the new cases were in Liberia, where the president said he might have to limit some freedoms.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has convened a panel of experts to explore the use of experimental treatments and will announce a plan to deal with the virus on Friday.

ZMapp, made by a company in San Diego, is being used to treat American aid workers Kent Brantly and Nancy Writebol.

Ebola treatment facilities are ready at London's Royal Free Hospital

The pair improved after being given the drug while still in Liberia, according to the group they were working for, but it is unclear whether the drug was responsible.

ZMapp has never been tested on humans and was only identified as a possible treatment in January after research by the US government and the military.

"This is an emergency compassionate use situation," Professor Erica Ollman Saphire, from the Scripps Research Institute, told Sky News.

"This is not a well-controlled laboratory study. A lot of work remains to be done on how it worked and why, and how quickly."

Experiments on monkeys suggest ZMapp may reduce fatalities in infected people.

It is slow to produce however, and the antibodies have to be grown in specially-modified tobacco leaves.

Symptoms of the incurable virus include fever, vomiting, severe headaches, muscular pain and, as the patient nears the end, profuse bleeding.

It is transmitted via bodily fluids rather than through the air and has a mortality rate of 60-90%.

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PM Defends Gaza Stance After Warsi Resigns

The Prime Minister has set out the UK's position on the conflict in Gaza after Baroness Warsi hit out at the Government's stance in a letter of resignation.

Lady Warsi said the Government's "approach and language" during the month-long conflict in Gaza has been "morally indefensible".

And she added: "I always said long after life in politics I must be able to stand by the decisions I took or the decisions I supported. By staying in Government at this time I do not feel I can be sure of that."

In a caustic appraisal of David Cameron's policy on the Middle East Peace Process she said it had caused significant damage to Britain's international standing.

Lady Warsi announced her resignation on Twitter

She later told reporters she had tried to convince the Government its position on Gaza was not in Britain's interests but felt she was making no progress and had to resign "on a point of principle".

In his response, the Prime Minister said he regretted her decision, but understood her "strength of feeling on the current crisis in the Middle East".

Baroness Warsi's resignation is a significant blow to the Conservatives

He said the Government supports Israel's right to defend itself, while consistently making clear its "grave concerns" over civilian casualties.

The Prime Minister added: "We have consistently called for an immediate and unconditional humanitarian ceasefire."

Lady Warsi's resignation is a serious blow to the Conservatives and will intensify pressure on Mr Cameron, who is out of the country on holiday, to be firmer in his condemnation of Israel.

She is considered an asset to the Tories and has been a prominent member of David Cameron's Government, becoming the first Muslim to sit in the Cabinet. She was Conservative Party chairman and played a large part in the 2010 campaign.

She wrote in her resignation letter: "My view has been that our policy in relation to the Middle East Peace Process generally but more recently our approach and language during the current crisis in Gaza is morally indefensible, is not in Britain's national interest and will have a long term detrimental impact on our reputation internationally and domestically."

She has posted a number of tweets condeming Israel's actions

Lady Warsi said there was also concern in the Foreign Office about the departure of William Hague as Foreign Secretary - he has been replaced by Philip Hammond - and the "way recent decisions have been made".

She announced her departure on Twitter, where she has been increasingly vocal in her condemnation of Israel's actions. Eleven days ago she wrote: "Can people stop trying to justify the killing of children. Whatever our politics there can never be justification, surely only regret #Gaza."

It follows Mr Cameron's failure on Monday to back the United Nations' position over the shelling of a UN-run school where Palestinian refugees were sheltering from the violence, killing at least 10 people.

Lady Warsi has condemned the attacks that have killed and injured children

UN Secretary General Ban-Ki-moon called the attack "a moral outrage and a criminal act". When asked, Mr Cameron would say only that it was "an appalling loss of life".

There has also been increasing criticism over the £42m of arms exports licences British defence manufacturers have with Israel since 2010 to supply ammunition, drones and armoured vehicles.

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has called on the Government to suspend the export licences, saying Lady Warsi had raised some important questions over UK policy.

The Government has agreed to review the licences, although has not made any moves towards a suspension.

Lady Warsi's highly critical resignation letter

:: After our Twitter Q&A yesterday with Palestinian teenager Farah Baker, Sky News held a similar Q&A with someone on the Israeli side - schoolteacher Adele Raemer, who lives 2km from the border with Gaza.

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Scottish Referendum: Leaders Clash In TV Debate

The two men leading the fight for Scotland's future have clashed in a lively televised debate on the independence referendum.

Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond faced Alistair Darling MP, leader of the Better Together campaign, with just over six weeks to go until the September 18 vote.

The pair thrashed out issues from whether an independent Scotland would keep the pound and remain a member of the European Union, to the economy and the future of North Sea oil revenues.

Broadcast by STV - which faced complaints from viewers around the UK who had problems viewing an online live stream - it was the first such encounter between the pair during the campaign and kicks off its closing stages.

An instant Guardian/ICM poll of viewers conducted immediately after the debate concluded that Darling won the debate by 56% to 44%.

A yes vote stands for 'hope and ambition', said Mr Salmond

There were fiery exchanges over Scotland's future prosperity and the prospect of currency union after independence, with Mr Salmond refusing to set out his "Plan B" if Scotland is barred from keeping the pound.

Speaking in front of an occasionally raucous 350-strong audience at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in Glasgow, Mr Darling said: "Any eight-year-old can tell you the flag of a country, the capital of a country and its currency.

"I presume the flag is the saltire, I assume our capital will still be Edinburgh, but you can't tell us what currency we will have."

Mr Salmond told his opponent he was not in favour of joining the euro and added: "We'll keep the pound because it belongs to Scotland as much as to England."

Mr Darling may have scored a victory, a poll suggested

The pair clashed over Scotland's future in the EU, with Mr Salmond accusing the Yes campaign of trying to scare people into thinking they could be thrown out of the union after independence.

But Mr Darling said it was unclear on what terms Scotland would be allowed to rejoin the EU, or if its membership would be opposed.

Pressed on whether he agreed with David Cameron that an independent Scotland could be successful, Mr Darling said he believed the country could go it alone - but the risks and costs of doing so outweighed the benefits.

In closing statements, Mr Darling said the referendum would be the "single biggest decision" for Scotland, and there would be "no going back" on a Yes vote.

The pair were cheered and jeered by the 350-strong audience in Glasgow

But Mr Salmond insisted: "No-one will ever govern Scotland better than the people who live and work in Scotland... voting yes is a vote for hope and ambition over fear."

The latest poll from Ipsos MORI shows more people plan to vote to break away from the UK when the referendum takes place next month.

Although a majority of the electorate is expected to vote to stay in the United Kingdom.

On the morning of the debate, the three main UK party leaders announced they had signed a pledge to increase the powers of the Scottish Parliament.

David Cameron, Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg all put their names to a declaration made earlier this year by their parties' Scottish leaders to guarantee an increase in Scotland's powers under devolution.

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World Leaders Unite To Mark WWI Centenary

Special events have taken place to commemorate the centenary of the day Britain entered World War One.

Prime Minister David Cameron, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry attended at a solemn twilight ceremony at St Symphorien cemetery near Mons, Belgium, on Monday.

An estimated 37 million people were killed or injured in the Great War, which lasted from 1914 until 1918.

The lights were switched off at the Houses of Parliament

The graveyard near Mons is the final resting place of 229 Commonwealth and 284 German troops, among them the first and last British soldiers to die on the Western Front.

In an address to the crowd of 500 guests including German President Joachim Gauck, Mr Cameron said: "Every war is cruel. But this war was unlike any other.

"The unspeakable carnage, the unbearable loss, the almost unbelievable bravery.

Candles are lit at Westminster Abbey

"One hundred years on, it is right that we meet here - and around the world - to remember. Its legacy still affects us today - good and bad."

Prince Harry read a letter from Private Michael Lennon, of 1st Battalion the Royal Dublin Fusiliers, dated May 30, 1915, who wrote to his brother Frank the day before he was due to land in Gallipoli.

In the letter, Pte Lennon - who was killed in action on June 28, 1915, in Gallipoli - wrote: "Well Frank, I suppose we are for it tomorrow, if we don't get shelled on the way."

The Duchess of Cornwall at the Grave of the Unknown Warrior

Back in the UK, the Duchess of Cornwall joined senior politicians, including Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, for a solemn service at Westminster Abbey.

The commemoration included the gradual extinguishing of candles, with an oil lamp snuffed out at the Grave of the Unknown Warrior at 11pm - the exact hour Britain declared war on Germany on August 4 1914.

The ceremony near Mons

It paid tribute to the famous words spoken by the foreign secretary of the time, Sir Edward Grey, who remarked as he gazed out of his office and over St James' Park, that "the lamps are going out all over Europe; we shall not see them lit again in our lifetime".

Homes, workplaces, public buildings and places of worship across Britain were also urged to turn off their lights at 10pm.

The Houses of Parliament, Tower Bridge and other landmarks were plunged into darkness, while a lone candle on the steps of Downing Street was the only light in that Whitehall corridor of power where so many tough decisions were taken 100 years ago.

A lantern is placed outside the front door of No 10 Downing Steet

Meanwhile, in Afghanistan personnel from all three services were joined by the US Marine Corps at Camp Bastion to mark the occasion.

Around 400 personnel congregated at the base's Vigil Site for a parade illuminated by the lights of military vehicles and the site itself, before a ceremony presided over by force senior chaplain Wing Commander Geoffrey Withers.

Earlier in the day, royalty, political leaders and relatives of the fallen attended other events across UK and the world.

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Israel And Hamas Agree To 72-Hour Truce

The Battle To Win The War And Keep The Peace

Updated: 5:07pm UK, Monday 04 August 2014

By Sam Kiley, Foreign Affairs Editor

Israeli tanks chew through the rubble at Rafah. Another child is killed. Some ceasefire. Some war.

For all the bluster and public relations stunts attached to several 'humanitarian truces', the claims to be the 'most moral army in the world', and the blaming of Hamas for deliberately getting fellow Palestinians killed, the Israel Defence Forces prosecute conflict with a bald honesty.

The purpose of war is to bend an enemy's will to one's own.

It's about smashing and maiming, dismemberment and mass grief.

When the threat is perceived as existential, it's conducted without rules but with great deliberation.

The firebombing of Dresden and the nuclear attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki targeted women and children, the innocent, their homes, parks and pets - on purpose.

The Allies intended to break the will of the Axis powers utterly.

And that is the intent of the Israelis in Gaza.

The aim of the IDF is officially to 'dismantle the military capacity of Hamas (and other militant groups)'. It is to rid Israel of the threat posed by Gaza's rocket arsenal, and of its tunnel network with its tentacles that extend inside Israel.

The vast majority of Palestinian casualties, now numbering more than 1,700, are civilians, and many of them are women and children.

Israel's 'pinpoint accurate' munitions have been used to target hospitals and United Nations schools housing thousands of refugees with monotonous regularity.

It is true that Hamas has stored weapons in schools, fired rockets from close to playgrounds and hospitals, and used mosques as combat operations rooms.

Nonetheless Israel has come in for some bitter criticism from long-time ally the United States, from the United Nations, which the Israelis see as a hostile entity, and now from France.

On Monday French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius called for a political solution to be "imposed" by the international community in the Gaza conflict.

"How many more deaths will it take to stop what must be called the carnage in Gaza?" Mr Fabius stormed.

"The tradition of friendship between Israel and France is an old one and Israel's right to security is total, but this right does not justify the killing of children and the slaughter of civilians."

The cold truth is that Mr Fabius has missed the point here.

Israel sees itself engaged in a near-perpetual existential struggle against Palestinian militants, especially Hamas, which is committed to the destruction of the 'Zionist entity'.

Israelis are generally horrified and outraged by any suggestion that civilians are deliberately targeted by the IDF which, they point out, regularly conducts investigations into the actions of its forces when they are accused of egregious killing.

But Israel's tactical aims are clear.

To crush Hamas and to send a clear message to Gazans that their future does not rest with the militant group.

The IDF has used devastating force to deliver that message and to try to wreck Hamas' military and civil structures.

And the Israeli government enjoys overwhelming support for the way that Operation Protective Edge has been conducted.

It accepts that war is not a sport.

But does not, yet, appear to comprehend that in Gaza Israel may have won another battle but is very far from winning the war - much less the peace it so craves.

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Israel To Hold Fire During 7-Hour Gaza Truce

Israel has declared a seven-hour humanitarian truce beginning on Monday morning in most of the Gaza Strip.

The Israeli military said it will hold fire from 10am (8am UK time) to 5pm (3pm UK time) to facilitate the entry of humanitarian aid and for displaced Palestinians to return to their homes - but would fight back if attacked.

The truce would not apply in areas of the southern Gazan town of Rafah where Israeli forces are involved in ongoing clashes, a Defence Ministry official said in a statement.

The announcement comes after the United Nations strongly criticised a third deadly missile strike on a UN school sheltering Palestinians, saying Israel was "repeatedly informed of the location of these sites".

The attack in Rafah on Sunday left 10 civilians dead and wounded another 30, bringing the total Palestinian death toll to more than 1,770.

Palestinians carry an injured man after a strike on a UN school

The Israeli military confirmed it had fired on a terrorist target in the vicinity of the school and was "reviewing the consequences of this strike".

Meanwhile, Israeli army spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Peter Lerner announced the bulk of ground troops had now pulled out of Gaza.

He said the military had caused "substantial damage" to a network of tunnels, which Israel cited as justification for expanding its operation in the territory to include a ground offensive.

Lt Col Lerner emphasised, however, that the operation was not over.

Some Israeli ground troops have reportedly withdrawn from Gaza

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had warned he was prepared to continue the offensive for as long as it took to return his citizens to safety.

At least 30 Palestinians were killed in multiple strikes on Sunday, although it was the attack on the UN-run school that was the focus of international condemnation.

Just days before more than a dozen Palestinians died in an attack on a school-turned-shelter in Jabalya. Another 19 people died at a school in Beit Hanoun last week.

The United States said it was "appalled" by the latest reports of a "disgraceful shelling" of a UN school.

While not directly attributing blame, the State Department called on Israel to do more to "meet its own standards and avoid civilian casualties".

Israel buried Hadar Goldin on Sunday, a soldier initially feared abducted

British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said he had discussed the incident with Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman and Justice Minister Tzipi Livni by phone.

In a statement Mr Hammond said that while the facts were not clear he was "appalled at reports of further civilian casualties in the vicinity of a UN-run school".

Israel launched its aerial offensive on July 8 with the declared aim of ending "persistent" rocket fire by militants.

It subsequently sent in ground troops, shifting the focus of the operation to the destruction of the complex system of cross-border tunnels which it said were used by Hamas to infiltrate the country.

Israel had previously reported that the militants had used one such tunnel to kidnap an Israeli soldier.

Israel confirmed Second Lieutenant Hadar Goldin was killed in combat

It later confirmed that Second Lieutenant Hadar Goldin was killed in combat, prompting Hamas to accuse Israel of issuing misleading reports.

A funeral was held for the 23-year-old soldier in the Israeli town of Kfar Saba on Sunday.

Israel shunned ceasefire talks in Cairo on Sunday, attended by Egyptian and Palestinian negotiators, as Hamas rockets continued to be fired from Gaza.

During the weeks-long conflict, 64 Israeli soldiers and three civilians have been killed.

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Ceremonies To Mark 100 Years Since WW1

World War One And The 'Short-War Illusion'

Updated: 3:31am UK, Monday 04 August 2014

By Professor David Stevenson

In August 1914 German Emperor Wilhelm II famously promised to his departing troops that they would return before the autumn leaves fell.

Yet most of Europe's military chiefs did not, in fact, expect a short war.

The Chief of the German General Staff had predicted a struggle lasting between 18 months and two years. His French and Austrian opposite numbers took a similar view.

A clash between two great alliance blocs, each fielding armies that numbered millions and were supported by the resources of entire nations, would not be settled in weeks. 

Even the direst military predictions, however, failed to foresee a conflict lasting four and a half years that would claim at least 10 million lives.

And civilian politicians seem not to have been informed about the military leaders' pessimism.

When Europe's governments decided for war, they expected heavy casualties, but nothing resembling what actually occurred.

Lord Kitchener, the colonial hero who was brought in as Britain's Secretary of State for War, stunned the Cabinet by warning them to prepare for a three-year bloodbath.

And as for members of the ordinary public, evidence from diaries and letters suggests that many really did expect a struggle that would last only a few months.

Much of this optimism may have been wishful thinking. And research by historians has made clear that 'war enthusiasm' was skin-deep.

To be sure, there was excitement, and cheering crowds gathered round the royal palaces in Berlin and London, but these demonstrations were quite small, composed mostly of well-to-do young men, and most prominent after war had been declared.

Up until then, pacifist and anti-war protests rivalled them - for example in Trafalgar Square as late as Sunday August 2, only two days before Britain came in.

On 31 July the London Stock Exchange was closed for the first time in its history, due to a run on the Bank of England's gold reserves and sell-offs of government bonds across Europe, while both in Britain and on the Continent queues formed outside savings banks and there was panic food-buying.

Although The Times consistently advocated British intervention, The Manchester Guardian remained unconvinced, and many civilian diarists expressed anxiety and foreboding.

In all the combatant countries political parties suspended their differences for the duration of the war effort.

But it seems to have been only later, once reports came in of heavy fighting and massive casualties, that a deeper pro-war consensus formed on both sides.

The public had not begun this business, but now they were in it they would see it through.

In Britain, hundreds of thousands flocked to the recruiting offices in late August and September. Although the volunteers had many motives, patriotism was certainly one of them.

And even after the campaigning bogged down into opposing lines of trenches, many still (without the benefit of hindsight) expected it to carry on for only a few more months. The short-war illusion did not end in 1914.

:: Professor David Stevenson is the author of With Our Backs To The Wall: Victory And Defeat in 1918, and 1914-1918: The History Of The First World War. He teaches at London School of Economics & Political Science

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'Kidnapped' Israeli Soldier Declared Dead

Why Obama's Hands Are Tied Over Gaza

Updated: 4:38am UK, Friday 01 August 2014

By Dominic Waghorn, US Correspondent

On the day the White House said the Israeli military should do more to protect Palestinian civilians in Gaza, the US confirmed it had agreed to supply the same military with more ammunition.

The Obama administration has hardened its criticism of the shelling of a UN school in Gaza calling it "indefensible" and saying there is little doubt the Israelis were responsible.

"We need our allies in Israel," said administration press secretary Josh Earnest "to live up to the high standards they have set themselves". Meanwhile those same allies were being invited to help themselves to more of the US arms stockpiles in Israel.

Duplicitous double standards or another sign of the complexity of US-Israeli relations? Depends on your point of view.

There is no doubt the Obama administration is concerned and frustrated by Israel's conduct. There is also no doubt the administration will continue to support it to the hilt for as long as required.

Frustrated not least because of the trashing of the US Secretary of State John Kerry by Israeli cabinet ministers and media after his efforts to broker a ceasefire.

The Obama administration has not hidden its fury at the personal attacks on America's chief diplomat by senior members of the Netanyahu government.

The mounting civilian suffering is a concern to the US, for humanitarian and diplomatic reasons.

What's left of America's standing in the Arab world is further undermined by gruesome pictures of slaughter caused by US-supplied weaponry being fired into Gaza.  

A lot has been made of the dysfunctional relationship of the two countries' leaders. 

Bibi and Barack have had more than their share of differences, and none of the political intimacy of George W Bush and Ariel Sharon. 

But these days Israel can take US support for granted far more than it could back then.

When Ariel Sharon wanted to send his military into Jenin refugee camp in the West Bank in 2002 he personally asked Bush to let him do so and give him enough time to finish the job.

The destruction in Jenin is nothing compared to what Israel has wrought in Gaza and it has done so without needing to ask for American permission. 

There are many reasons for US support for Israel, some historic, others more current.

The US-Israeli relationship is one of the fundamental constants of American foreign policy in the Middle East. With a region in ferment and in a state of flux, that is more important to Washington than ever.

The Israeli lobby is also hugely powerful in the US. 

Capitol Hill has been called Israeli-occupied territory; such is the sway the Jewish state holds over US politicians.

Multifarious pro-Israel organisations, millions given to Israel supporters at election time and masterful use of the media all mean that is unlikely to change.

Israel has the same hold on everyday Americans as it has on politicians.

US public opinion has been overwhelmingly sympathetic to Israel since the second intifada when the Palestinians began blowing up women and children on buses and since 9/11, which hardened US attitudes to violent Muslims of any description.

More often than not the US media is inclined to accept the Israeli narrative. 

Coverage of tunnels out of Gaza is a case in point.

When Israeli military PR shifted the focus from rockets to tunnels, US coverage followed.

Too much talk of rockets is a threat to Israel economically now the country's main airport is within range.

Israel now claims Hamas tunnels are their main casus belli.

There has been little questioning of Israeli claims they are a terrorist threat to women and children, when thus far they have only been used by Hamas militants for military purposes to target Israeli soldiers. 

US support of Israel is mirrored by the attitude of some Arab nations in the region.

Egypt's recent ceasefire plan angered Hamas by including many of Israel's demands and few of the Palestinians'.

The Saudis and Jordanians are also quietly cheering the Jewish state from the sidelines. 

Since the last major Israeli operation in Gaza the faultlines have shifted in the Middle East because of the deepening chasm among Muslims, between Sunnis and Shia. 

On one side, Iran and its allies, the Assad regime in Damascus, and Hezbollah in Lebanon. 

On the other Tehran's enemies in the Gulf and Egypt who are in no mood to help out Iran's Sunni allies, Hamas in Gaza. 

While much of the Middle East remains silent as the carnage continues in Gaza, Israel will assume it is carrying out the wishes of at least some of its neighbours.

Washington will continue dishing out carefully worded criticism if Israel keeps facing claims it has shelled children sleeping in UN buildings.

But it is not going to be reducing its support for its closest ally in an increasingly troubled region.

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Miliband Slams Cameron's Handling Of Gaza Crisis

By Anushka Asthana, Political Correspondent

Labour leader Ed Miliband has accused David Cameron of failing to speak out about an Israeli military operation that he describes as "wrong and unjustifiable".

In a strongly worded statement, he said Mr Cameron had been right to call Hamas an appalling, terrorist organisation.

"But the Prime Minister is wrong not to have opposed Israel's incursion into Gaza", said Mr Miliband.

The Opposition leader added: "And his silence on the killing of hundreds of innocent Palestinian civilians caused by Israeli's military action will be inexplicable to people across Britain and internationally."

Downing Street reacted angrily to the statement, insisting the Prime Minister had been clear that both sides in the conflict need to observe a ceasefire.

"We are shocked that Ed Miliband would seek to misrepresent that position and play politics with such a serious issue."

A Labour source said the situation on the ground in Gaza had led Mr Miliband to speak out.

He said he supported Israel and believed it had the right to defend itself.

"But its military actions in the past two weeks have been wrong and unjustifiable.

The crisis in Gaza is set to continue

"The escalation of violence engulfing Gaza has led, and is leading, to suffering and destruction on an appalling scale, and is losing Israel friends in the international community day by day."

It came amid claims that Britain is selling arms to Israel that could be being used against Palestinian citizens.

Katy Clark, a Labour MP on the Committee on Arms Export Controls, told Sky News arms had been sold since 2010 under hundreds of licences that were still in place.

Her committee found the UK can sell 22 different types of equipment to Israel including components for military combat vehicles, communications equipment, sniper rifles and water cannon.

The Government said it had started a review into all the licences, with the ultimate decision to suspend any lying with the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.

It is led by Lib Dem minister Vince Cable, who will be under pressure to act given the outspoken interventions from senior figures in his party.

Nick Clegg, the Deputy Prime Minister and Lib Dem leader, has called on Israel to open direct talks with the political arm of Hamas.

Writing in the Guardian, he said the "daily images of human torment in Gaza have been harrowing and heartbreaking".

And insisted that Israel's "disproportionate" military response was only worsening the long-term situation.

Mr Clegg pointed to how the Queen shook hands with the former IRA commander Martin McGuinness as a reminder "that even the most intractable conflicts can be resolved".

And Paddy Ashdown, the former leader, said that any arms sales contributing to this conflict should be stopped.

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