VOA标准英语2008年-Israeli Air, Ground Attacks on Gaza Kill At Lea

By Robert Berger
Jerusalem
03 January 2008

At least three Palestinian gunmen and four civilians² have been killed in Israeli raids in the Gaza Strip. As Robert Berger reports from VOA's Jerusalem bureau, there has been an escalation³ of military activity on both sides.

Israeli warplanes launched a wave of air strikes on the Gaza Strip, backing up tanks and infantry⁴ on the ground. In one incident, Palestinians say an Israeli tank shell hit a house, killing⁵ an Islamic Jihad militant⁶, his mother and 19-year-old sister.

Israel aircraft also hit two Islamic Jihad targets in Gaza City bringing angry crowds onto the streets.

Israel said the raids were in response to Palestinian rocket attacks on Israeli border communities.

"It must be remembered that the civilian¹ population in the south has been the target of rocket barrage⁷ after rocket barrage, day after day, week after week, month after month. This cannot continue," said government spokesman Mark Regev.

During the fighting Thursday, Palestinians fired a rocket at the major Israeli coastal⁸ city of Ashkelon. It flew more than 16 kilometers, one of the longest distances ever for a Palestinian rocket. Until now, only small towns and farming communities have been within range of Palestinian rockets.

Islamic Jihad and another militant group, the Popular Resistance Committees, claimed joint⁹ responsibility for the rocket attack.

Islamic Jihad official Ahmed Houry said the group would use all means at its disposal to strike at Israel.

1 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

2 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

3 escalation   

n.扩大，增加

参考例句：

• The threat of nuclear escalation remains. 核升级的威胁仍旧存在。 来自辞典例句
• Escalation is thus an aspect of deterrence and of crisis management. 因此逐步升级是威慑和危机处理的一个方面。 来自辞典例句

4 infantry   

n.[总称]步兵(部队)

参考例句：

• The infantry were equipped with flame throwers.步兵都装备有喷火器。
• We have less infantry than the enemy.我们的步兵比敌人少。

5 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

6 militant   

adj.激进的，好斗的；n.激进分子，斗士

参考例句：

• Some militant leaders want to merge with white radicals.一些好斗的领导人要和白人中的激进派联合。
• He is a militant in the movement.他在那次运动中是个激进人物。

7 barrage   

n.火力网，弹幕

参考例句：

• The attack jumped off under cover of a barrage.进攻在炮火的掩护下开始了。
• The fierce artillery barrage destroyed the most part of the city in a few minutes.猛烈的炮火几分钟内便毁灭了这座城市的大部分地区。

8 coastal   

adj.海岸的，沿海的，沿岸的

参考例句：

• The ocean waves are slowly eating away the coastal rocks.大海的波浪慢慢地侵蚀着岸边的岩石。
• This country will fortify the coastal areas.该国将加强沿海地区的防御。

9 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。