Do anyone think that this is a just and equal fight? Israeli’s tanks and depleted Uranium bombs verses civilian, no mater what they religion and nationalities.

Cooper,
Great to see you out in the field. You’re at your best then I think. You really delve into the story and get us a more in depth look at it. Keep it up! And I hope that we get a reporters notebook this go round because those are the best. So please don’t forget to do one!!

I think that Hamas is getting what they asked for. They have continually lobbed bombs into Israel from day one. What did they expect to happen…that Israel would roll over and give them all of the land that is Israel’s. They are stupid if they thought that!

It is a shame that innocent people are dying but sometimes that happens in wars. Especially when cowardly terrorists, which is what Hamas is, hides within the civilians. Therefore you have to go in and weed them out. Hopefully a solution to this problem can be agreed upon soon for both sides sake.

Stay safe Coop and see ya tonight!!

Cindy..Ga.

The footage shown last night moved me to tears. Thank you for bringing us the truth, Mr. Cooper. Please be careful!

i am a muslim and what they are doing is wrong its not idk sad

It is great to see you in writing again. It must be very frustrating to be blocked from the story and perhaps in this matter the truth. Saw the repeat of your broadcast this morning at 5, you seem to be in your element. I hope that you are allowed to get in to Gaza, I think that we need to know what is really going on. Take care and have a great day.

Anderson, I remember when Charlie Moore blogged about your day with Hezbollah two years ago and their attempts to manipulate your reporting. I understand why Israel won’t allow you into Gaza for safety reasons, but their decision is a double-edged sword. Then again, I think the viewers are smart enough to know that there are always two sides to a story and not to make swift judgments. Anderson, you can only do so much. You’re doing your best, that’s about all you can do, and we thank you for it. You’re in my prayers. Take care,

Lilibeth
Edmonds, Washington

Hey Anderson
that was a great blog!
Hamas and Hezbollah are master manipulators of the press
Hopefully the truth of their use of their own people as cannon fodder
(sic-iran during their war with iraq)
will come out
stay safe

Your right, the idea of innocent children dying in such a terrible conflict is sickening. The “message control” as you appropriately termed it is also frustrating and dishonest for the many of us relying on sources such as yourself to relay the information.

Thank you for your willingness to pursue and broadcast the truth in the face of such manipulation. Many wouldn’t bother.

I pray for the peace and safety of all in this conflict.

Hey Anderson
Press control are on Isreal side.But its your job to find the truth.the must importened thing in democraty is a free press,,there are to many wounded childen on both side.its time that the wold react.Children are our futur we have to pretect them.I am sorry for that poeple,i can not stopp thinking about what they guing through.

every time you see this you must change a little. I know just by hearing about the children being killed is heart wrenching , I can’t imagine seeing it.
I just wish we could put all the children on a plane and bring them some place safe!

Hi there,
This war is so scary and sad. It just occured to me that this situation is reminding me of a Michael McDonald song (Blink of an eye) – the lyrics make some sense – It’s weird…..Anyway, again try to stay safe. You’re doing a great job reporting. Thanks.

Is launching rockets onto kindergartens “just and equal?” Is strapping a concealed bomb onto your back and detonating it in a crowd “just and equal?” Or crashing jets into office buildings loaded with civilians? Yes, I deplore the civilian casualties, but, really, what did Hamas expect? When you fire from a school building, that structure becomes a military target. When you cache weapons in a mosque, it no is no longer a place of worship, but a military target. At least the Israelis are in uniform and not hiding among their own population . . .

Your coverage of the middle-eastern missile crisis on the Israeli-Gaza border has been extraordinary Anderson . It would be nice if this region of the world could live by the motto “Live and let live” May God watch over you and keep you safe while your reporting overseas. Come home soon to your anchor desk in New York City. May there be peace soon.

Stay safe Anderson,

Rekha

hmmm…not quite an answer to my question about what haunts you the most, but at least its real and honest.

i dont understand the reasoning behind wanting to destroy or control everything around us, which is basically what has led up to this. its what leads up to every conflict/war. its insensible, my mind cant comprehend so much hatred in so many people.

yes, somewhere, someone started it, but everyone must agree to end it.

be safe, anderson and crew.

Anderson,

I heard on the radio, just now, the following news: “Fire made today by an Israeli tank against a school maintained by the UN, in Jabalia, in the Gaza Strip killed at least 30 people and left 55 others injured.”

Tell us about it. I wanted to see images.
How those injured are being treated?
And the families of the victims, who also danger – how are you?
Other schools may be attacked?

For here we regret the loss of many lives in Gaza and the disproportionate use of force in this war.

Good luck and be well!

The cease fire was agreed by Hamas and Isreal: Hamas agreed to stop firing rockets and yet rockets were still fired; Israel agreed to open the boarders to aid, yet aid was only allowed to trickle in. Who negotiated, agreed and signed the cease fire and who is actually in charge?

Theoretically Hamas rockets coud hit the West Bank, if their attacks are so random, disorganised and uncontrolled why hasn’t this happened? Maybe they’re not.

All this is perhaps the “end of time.” I hope not.

Both talks about peace, brotherhood, equality and justice. People (some who are) have access to so much information (newspapers, TV, internet and everything in real time), but we still haunted by war, innocent people being killed, prejudice, economic crisis and many other bad things.

We can not lose hope, but sometimes is difficult. Even when children are most affected.

Good luck!

I do believe coverage from inside Gaza should be allowed, but at the same time I’d be worried to get into Gaza. Nobody is safe anymore there; if even a UN school/refugee camp is getting bombed!
It’s difficult to assess what’s really going on; we have no first hand information. I can understand your frustration. I’m frustrated, too. I can’t get any logic out of it, I can’t understand why this situation got to this point and I don’t think I will some time soon.
I can’t imagine what people are going through down there. But I hope that at least the war will stop soon.
Be safe and thank you.
Steph

Hi Anderson,
Thank you for that honest report. You are right, without independent journalists going in and showing both sides, we, the public get only the story one side or the other wants to tell. War is a tricky business- it’s too bad that both sides have so much at stake I fear peace will be difficult.
Stay safe and keep up the good work!

i thiank leaders of countries should be the only one fighting maybe then leaders would not be so quick to use war as an answer. too many children and innocent civilians are dying. no more bombs no more rockets. just pick a fighting spot and let the idiots duke it out. that way the rest of the israelis and palestenians

Hi Anderson!

I remember in your book you mentioned that people worry sometimes when they see you in their areas… knowing that you’re always where the “action is”.

I’m from NJ, but I’m vacationing/ taking a pilgrimage now through Jordan, Israel and Egypt. As I was finishing up my final preparations for this trip, I remember telling my parents to relax… that they’ll know to worry if they see you reporting live from the Israel/Gaza area.

Well, let me just say, I woke up at 5 am (Jordan time, 10 pm EST), and was thrilled to see you were on… and then I realized that you were in the area.

I’m sure that you and your crew will do your best to stay safe… but I’m half wishing you were still reporting from home. It might give me a bit of peace of mind for myself and my fellow pilgrims.

Crossing the border into Israel tomorrow, hopefully we’ll all make it back home safe and sound.
Stephanie

10 day of sever attacks on Palestinians in Gaza and the results are 660 killed, mostly children and women, and 3000 injured. Patients have no place in hospitals. Intensive care patients are treated on the floor for lack of space. Extremely limited medical supplies, food and drinking water. Now, Israeli official started to talk about “having reasons to believe that Palestinians fighters are located in hospitals”, Are they going to bomb hospitals too? They’ve already bombed schools after receiving confirmation from a UN agency that these schools are empty of fighter.

Horror stories are produced by the Israeli military every minute, such as a family of 7 blown up to pieces at once, a mother loosing all her children, infants with removed body parts, families warned by Israelis to evacuate their homes to avoid bombs so they go to hide in a school, only to be bombed by Israeli fighter planes in the same school, and much more. It is too horrible to think about cases, imagine living these stories or watching happen before your eyes. Search the web and you can see pictures and read the stories.

These daily massacres must stop. The route cause, being Israeli occupation, must be addressed. Palestinian have the right to own their own country, live in it with pride and dignity, and have the freedom live, work, travel, and go about daily life just like any one else in the world. The US, being a super power, can do this if they stop their unconditional support to Israeli no mater what they did and no matter who much more land they take from Palestinians.

Anderson, thanks for explaining in detail about why it is so important to have independent international journalists covering what is going in Gaza. I think people need to understand that journalists have such a great responsibility to depict what is really happening, it is not a small task nor one to take lightly.

I agree with everyone else, Hamas and Hezbollah are master manipulators of the press.

you said: “It’s not how we would choose to cover the conflict”, yes but you are still doing an amazing job covering this conflict in my opinion.

you also said: “I made sure in my story to show exactly what Hezbollah was trying to do, but I don’t think many of the other reporters did”. THATS WHY WE LOVE YOU !!!!

Mr. Anderson Cooper,

I am really disappoited by your coverage which any fair person will notice that it is heavily biased to the Israeli side,

First the fact that the Israelis are preventing you from seeing the fight first hand by not allowing to enter into Gaza,gives an indication that they want to make you part of their propoganda machine which they were planning since a long time ago.

Second the fact you are concentrating on covering the debris of the rockets the Israeli claim have landed at Askalon and describing what they contain as if you have seen them when they were prepared at other side.This is not a fair coverage.

Third ,even when you mention the casualities at the UNRWA school you believe the Israeli story.Although the UN spskesperson in Gaza was condemning this atrocity and sighting that they have informed the Israelis about the location and the Coordinates of these schools being safe sites to allow people shelter and inspite of that they target them ,This only proove that they intended to kill as many civilians as possible.

If you want to pretend that you are fair you should not give such examples about Hizbullah, There are fair reporters who give first hand reporting but you do not want to listen you are making yourself advocate of the Israeli War Criminals ,if you are fair you should request that they should be refered to the International Criminal Court to be charged with War Crimes.

You should note that this is not the first time that Israel has targeted an UNRWA school ths happened in 1996 at Qana school in Lebanon where more than 200 people were killed by the Israeli shelling.

You metion that only 100 of the casualities killed in Gaza are women or children,while you must have heard that today alone more than 135 were killed more than half are women and children.out of the 660 killed untill now there are about 225 children ans 88 women and children which makes them about 45% of those killed. Also out of the 3000 injured there are about 50% women and children.

You have to be fair and not biased or you have to leave this mission.It is shamefull really and you will lose your credebility if you continue like this.

Anderson:

Good to hear from you and know you are safe. I see the hauntingly familiar look of fear in the wide-eyed innocent children’s faces and it seems too much to bear. Though we have seen it many times before through you and your colleagues reporting from war-torn fields. It is never easy to watch. I pray for a diplomatic means to a permanent end to this conflict so that these innocent people many finally live in peace without bloodshed.

Anderson, I am so glad to see you in the field reporting and bringing us this very important story. Stay safe!

Someone much smarter than me once said that we reap what we sow. Is it true that, for 8 years, Hamas has been sowing violence, fear and destruction? Didn’t they expect a harvest?

And what is Isreal sowing now? What will their harvest be?

There have been innocent lives lost on both sides of this conflict.

It’s all so futile…so sad.

The Jerusalem Post reports that the IDF did not target a UN school full of innocent students & teachers. Hamas terrorists baricaded themselves in the UN school, fired mortars at the IDF, drawing IDF mortar fire which destroyed the school, killing both students, teachers, and Hamas fighters. Close examination of the school walls shows that Hamas terrorists fired from within the school and that there were numerous Hamas terrorist bodies inside the school.

The Jerusalem Post also reported today that Hamas has been pilfering Medicine designated for civilians to instead treat their own fighters in an independent hospital. Since Monday, according to the Jerusalem Post, the IDF facilitated 49 trucks carrying basic food supplies into Gaza, and has allowed some 450 trucks into the Gaza Strip with Humanitarian supplies since the crisis started. The IDF has opened a humanitarian corridor from Gaza City to the Kerem Shalom crossing where 20 Palestinian workers were bused in to unload humanitarian supplies using forklifts onto 50 trucks. Israel is also laying a pipeline from the Karem Shalom crossing to deliver fuel to Gazans as the Nahal Oz fuel depot is closed due to terrorist threats.

Ms. Amanpour’s report this morning pretends that the plight of Gaza’s non-terrorist citizens has nothing to do with the Hamas terrorists who hide among them, who use Gazans as “human shields,” hide weapons in homes, schools, offices, and Mosques endangering lives. The same Hamas terrorist threw Fatah doctors out of Gaza Hospitals. The same Hamas terrorists steal food, fuel, electricity and water from the citizens they are supposed to serve and protect, all done in the name of destoying Israel.

Anderson Cooper is the only journalist that truly cares about bringing us the truth and not just “reporting” for the sake of it ! This needed to be said.

Also my heart goes out to all the children. As Martina said, they truly are our future. It is hard watching all that footage…

Cindy, if you were at all a person of faith, you would know that there is no excuse or appropiate reason to kill innocent women and children. It doesn’t matter what religion they are.

Individual leaders forget that one day they will face God on the day of Judgement for the choices they have made. PM Olmert will be playing golf in hell with Hamas, Al Qaeda, Bush, Saddam and anyone else that has taken innocent life.

Thank you for reporting and bloging even if from the hilltop overlooking Gaza.
Israel’s blocking the entry of reporters is not a sign of a free democratic state but a desperate measure to control news. How can you report evenhanded when you are only shown remnants of Hamas rockets. Israel has started a huge public relation campaign to sway public opinion to their side. But today in the time of global communication not everything can be controlled and silenced. From the pictures it appears that Israel is using cluster bombs, why there is no news about it?

Please keep on reporting ant try to be just.

Why do you only have a picture of the qassam rockets?

Anderson,
Hi! It’s great to see your writing–it does enhance the current news broadcasts on the crisis in Israel. I’ve been able to view some of your early morning reporting–US time. Where you are is quite beautiful, though I can understand your frustration at not being in Gaza. I look forward to your program later–you are doing a great job.

With reporters and journalists like yourself on the ground Anderson I’m sure the spin from both sides will be shown for what it really is. Your truth telling in the Hezbollah story won praise from everyone and set the bar higher for this type of reporting.

Of course it’s not equal — Hamas is terrorist organization that purposefully tries to kill civilians. Israel is a country that is sick and tired of wars and terror and only wants to see it’s citizens safe. Israel targets terrorists and warns the civilians to leave the areas which they plan to operate at..
There is a very easy solution for the current crisis — for “civilians” in Gaza to get rid of Hamas terrorists, this way only bad guys will be hurt. But since that doesn’t happen, these civilians have to bear the weight of consequences for supporting Hamas

Anderson,
Thank you for doing what you do best…bringing your viewers an unbiased report on what is happening over there. It must be truly frustrating to not be able to get the full story because you are being kept so far away. I don’ t think pictures will ever do the scenes justice. Continue your hard work and you, your fellow reporters and your crew continue to be safe.

Hey Anderson

Thanks for a great blog. I can understand how frustrating it must be not being able to go where you need to and get the information necessary to tell the whole story. As someone above said, we know you’re doing your best and hopefully, everyone realizes there are two sides to every story.

The fact that Israel won’t let you into Gaza is disturbing. To me, it’s an admission that there is no safe place. If that is so, why bother dropping leaflets telling the civiians to go to a particular place?

My heart goes out to the civilians caught in the middle of all this, especially the children. They are in my prayers, and you as well. Thank you for all you do in covering these conflicts and trying to keep us informed. God Bless!

I know it must frustrate you to not be able to get closer to the real story but your view on what is happening is greatly appreciated. Thank you for taking the time to write this blog.

To you and your crew…stay safe.

It is a sad beginning of the new year with the pictures of wounded and dead…..again Gaza, Israel…this conflict will end??? I hope and pray that the moderates from both parties will find a solution…

Thanks for trying to do your job at best even if you can’t broadcast from Gaza, as you said “it’s also a public relations war”.

Ciao Carlotta

okay anderson, you be careful. we want you back secure and whole. we love you and keep doing what you do.

Thank You for your coverage Anderson, and your quest to finding the truth. No wonder the message is being controled or shall we say blocked, Israel wants to conceal it’s Destruction and knows that it will find it very hard to justify to the world the attrocities it has inflicted on the Palestinian people if reporters where allowed to enter and see for themselves. Stay safe.

Anderson Cooper, this has been some of your best work, thank you
for going but all of you be careful. I hope this over soon but no cease
fire will last, I don’t know if Jew and Arab can live in peace with each other seems like over the years history has indicated that there will
never be a lasting peace. I hope I am wrong but I don’t think so.
The sadest thing about this is all the children that are caught up in this conflict the ones that have died and those that will forever bear
the scars of this conflict.

Is this the 21st century? Bombing of a UN School Shelter? Killing innocent children? Enough to Israel and to all of this cruelty and to whoever supports them. It is insane to allow all this so blindly. Someone should stop this massacre! Israel killed 10 times more innocent civilians than Hamas terrorists. This shows its real intentions. Israel is not defending itself, bombing a school, killing innocent people, children is not self defense! An we are all watching this doing nothing! I am ashamed to see all this…
Good luck Anderson and hope you stay safe out there.

Maybe CNN can provide its journalists with a battalion of bodyguards to ensure their safety in Gaza so that the IDF doesn’t have to worry about baby-sitting them while there’s a war going on.

I want to hear what the citizens from both Palestine and Israel have to say about this – not what Hamas and Israel’s military want us to hear. What is the truth?

This is such a frustrating and tragic situation for the Palestinian and Israeli civilians. Israel should not bomb schools and shelters just because they have a hunch Hamas is using them for launching attacks. Then from the other side Hamas is firing rockets blindly into Israeli neighborhoods with no discrimination between military or civilian targets. Even after Israel returned Gaza to the Palestinians Hamas has continued firing rockets into Israeli neighborhoods. What will it take for peace?

It is too bad we don’t fully know the situation on the ground in Gaza, a lot of people are wondering how many military targets have been taken out among the civilian toll. I know you would be there if they let you in.

Thank you for reporting Anderson, stay safe.

Anderson,

I appreciate your attempts to give us balanced reporting. I imagine that it is pretty frustrating not to be able to get closer to the action. I remember well, the ‘theater’ that Hezzbola put on for the press. I imagine that Hamas is much the same.

Still, it’s very hard to watch the sensationalist video that Hamas does allow out. It is designed to make Israel look like the bad guy when Hamas has been sending rockets over the border for, well, some time now.

I do wish that there was some way to get humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people. They may have elected Hamas, but they’re really suffering for it right now. Woman and children need food, water and some measure of safety, but I sure don’t know how to solve it.

Thanks again for your excellent reporting. I look forward to tonight’s broadcast.

Hi Anderson,

I agree with you we need an independent lens.

Take extra care

All we want is the real true picture…not taking any side ,,,,the citizin voice who under attack…the true voice….!!!

Anderson:

this does not show signs of ending anytime soon,sadly,and yes,it is the innocents who suffer most,the children.

Thanks to you and the entire CNN team that are covering this,and I hope all of you stay safe.

Your right – I see your side – you want to show and tell the truth about what is going on to the public.

But

The people making the decision to keep you out of harms way are there for a reason – trust that.

or

Find loopholes to get the story you want to portrait.

Any which way you choose to do it – have fun.

Karen

Anderson,

It’s got to be frustrating — you want to dig and uncover the story only to be constrained…I started my career in PR, so I understand what you are bumping up against, but do you think the Israeli government is also blocking access to Gaza to keep journalists out of harm’s way? I’m sure they aren’t giving away their entire military strategy…

Is that a lame question? I know journalists run toward the action. Its kind of the point of covering such an event.

Stay safe.

Anderson,

Good post. I remember the Hezbollah manipulation you referenced. I appreciate you relaying the behind-the-scenes issues in covering this conflict and I hope this info makes it to air in a significant way. As a viewer, I find that my understanding of a story is greatly increased when I learn what’s going on off camera.

I’ve found that some U.S. reporting has a slight pro-Israel slant, but so far you and your colleagues seem to be quite objective. You’re no doubt getting hammered from both sides of this ultra-passionate issue right now, but please keeping doing what you’re doing. Oh, and stay safe.

Anderson,

Thank you for an excellent post this afternoon. You and the rest of the journalists are doing a great job covering this conflict between Hamas and Israel given the many restrictions imposed upon you.

I realize that there are safety concerns that account for some of the reasons why you are being kept out of the war zone, but as you said in your blog, this is very much a “public relations war.” Unfortunately, both sides have their agendas making it difficult for journalists, or anyone else, to get the true story.

If both sides believe that what they are doing is just why not allow the journalists in to cover it? I would think that they would encourage it.

I remember seeing your story and the footage from Beirut in 2006 on AC360 showing you being “shepherded around” and the empty ambulances passing by, sirens blaring.

Luckily you have access to people inside Gaza like Sami Abdel-Shafi who you spoke to last night.

I am certain that you and the other journalists have been surrounded with the best security that money can buy, but please remain alert and don’t leave anything to chance. We want to hear the complete story, but not at “any” cost.

Take care,
Jo Ann
North Royalton, Ohio

For all Israel has supposedly learned from it’s last military endeavor, this battle seems increasingly futile. Hamas will “win” when the Gaza blockade comes down. Does Israel really think they can blow Hamas off the face of the planet? And who does that sound like?

Also- does Israel have the Gaza Strip surrounded, or could people get in through Egypt?

And as always, great reporting, Anderson. I hope you and other reporters get the opportunity to enter Gaza and see the entire situation. Stay safe!

So Israel won’t let you in to Gaza to report and the only pictures we get from there are Hamas propaganda ones. So what about pictures from the Israeli side of the damage and wounds and death the Hamas missiles cause? Surely Israel would not object to coverage of their people who are having to endure the rocket fire of Hamas. I appreciate the coverage you bring us in what must be a terribly frustrating position.

Finally, some balanced reporting. Please keep it up. Gazans are not the only victims in this conflict.

kudos on an unbiased report – watching either side spill their verbage gets so tiring – so quickly

Anderson,

I am not surprised to see you in the war zone when suddenly the world is interested and concerned. However, where were you and CNN when Israel was being inundated with rockets for months? The suffering of the Israeli’s wasn’t important enough to be covered? The news media, especially CNN, has put no context to this story. Finally, after all of these months and years, Israel has decided to fight back. What is Canada was shooting missles into New York? Wouldn’t America have the right to stop them in any way they can? CNN needs to remember who our friend is in that whole region: Israel. The world is against Israel no matter what they do. They need to do what’s best for their citizens.

Hi Anderson,
I find it perfectly understandable that Israel as well as Hamas are trying to manipulate the images that reach the world. Both sides view themselves as victims, and both sides need the world to support their cause. War propaganda is almost natural because so much is at stake.

But to prevent journalists from doing their jobs is maddening! We need unbiased reporting so we can judge the situation accurately and come up with a solution. Pre-cooked images from the warring sides are nearly useless because of their propaganda motive. It’s not serving Israel to shut you out of Gaza, because it makes everyone only suspicious of them.

I appreciate you doing your job so well, and that you are always fair in your reporting.

Anderson,
When can we have a good documentary like the ones you usually do on the real roots of the israelo-palestinian problem with its historical background??

Is the world standing on the sidelines and allowing this genocide??
Remember Christian Amnapour’s–”Scream Bloody Murder” on the atrotcities no matter what it takes

Although we must sympathize with the children of Palistine, it is their parents and leaders that put the Hamas in Power.

The Hamas military/terrorists decided to shoot rockets into Israel for the last 6 months.

Should Israel just slap the Hamas hands or send a mighty message that they are sick of being shot at.

I personally agree with Israel to use whatever force is necessary to eliminate the Hamas group permanently.

andeerson if hizbollah can manipulate the news israelis can do too

Thank you so much for your unbiased report. It really is a breath of fresh air.
You mention that without international journalists being able to point their cameras wherever they want, we will not be able to get a full picture. Sadly, no matter what’s pointed and where, Israel will always end up in a bad light. So I do understand their unwillingness to allow journalists in the area. There will just be more photos/footage that will be used against them.
Again, thank you for your difficult work out there..

I remember the coverage of Vietnam and the impact it had on US public . What a world of change has passed since then. Now it seems that “spin” is the standard operating procedure for all political struggles, including armed ones. I deeply appreciate CNN’s use of Palestinian stringers giving phone reports and reports from international physicians in Gaza. Without them we would have absolutely no idea what was really happening.

“public relations war” with bloody children as fodder.
Puts both sides into perspective and to shame.
I guess agenda’s don’t feel shame unless they are caught with the smoking gun.

It is hard to beleive that some people see what is happening and say it is fair! These people in Gaza have been deprived from everything and confined in a tiny bit of land. They have seen their parents killed by Israel and their land taken away over years. What did you expect them to do? They make hand-made bombs and throw them into Israel. What does Israel do? They run their F16s and kill 600 people in seven days! There is no place in Gaza to hide. So everyone knows this is going to happen. If Isreal recognizes the right to “live” and to have a country for Palestinians (a real one, not two tiny pieces of land on two sides of Israel that are not even connected and that are threatened by and confined by the Israeli army and the settlers), then this will stop. Otherwise, there will be a few thousand Palestinians killed and tens of thousands of new fighters will emerge from among the kids that see the bloodshed today.

US Tax Dollars at Work.

Anderson Cooper,
you are a vigilant journalist. Keep on pushing for independent coverage in GAZA, Hamas is not that reliable a source and the Israelis are also not eager to show the results of their bomings.
On a small afterthought: it was Bush who pushed for elections in Gaza and the Westbank, elections were fair, Bush wanted Democracy ” installed”, never listening to those who knew how corrupt Fatah was and how “popular” Hamas was with their social programs. Now civilians and soldiers suffer for because of ” a democratically elected” Hamas sending rockets to Israel.
Karin

Anderson,
i greatly admire your courage in reporting from dangerous zones , but true courage is to say the difficult and sometimes unbearable truth . being fair is not to equally blame rivals if one is the oppressive.Depicting hammas as a terrorist group will not mask the obvious fact that it is simply a resistance group that fight for the freedom of its own people , who by the way no one mention is still occupied , and is actually the last unliberated colony . the western hypocrites , those who are angered by few stray rockets that harm virtually none, and call it (terror) ,are unfazed by hundreds of women and children being killed in ten days ,they use vague words to describe it . How on earth do they blame hammas for killing their own children? were those f 16s and black hawks smuggled through the tunnels too? this smear campaign has failed everywhere and every time, from Nelson Mandela to Che chevara.
please do some in depth research in the history of this conflict from impartial and trusted sources ,I suggest you read Noam Chomsky ,who cant be described as antisemitic ,being jewish himself and you will be amazed at how ignorant and misled are the American public about this conflict
.I am a Muslim and i don’t hate jewish for being jewish .this is a big misconception the holocaust never happened in Islamic territories. It happened in Europe which failed to accept the presence of non Europeans and still do.we are ready to live with jews in peace as we did for the last 14th centuries but not with invaders regardless of their religion.

There’s no telling how many of the civilian casualties are actually from Hamas weapons. It looks like Hamas is putting civilians in buildings and then blowing them up for publicity. It is perfectly feasible that Hamas lured IDF into shelling near the school and then blew up the school themselves to create highly valued civilian casualties.

What a frightening place to be right now. It’s scary watching this on Television, I can’t imagine being on the front lines witnessing this with your own eyes. We just appreciate the realism you bring to news. I hope you’re safe out there, good luck.

Mr Dear Cooper.
I respact you a lots and i see you doing all kind of adventure my concern about you to not get hit or get trouble by bullet or anything please be safe, i see you doing all kind of adventure i feel you are great reporter and i want to see you all the time alive.my heartly kindly request to you be safe and do reporting and come back home soon please united state of america need you,there are so many new comer reporter let them learn something and do the reporting from war.
i feel you as my brother i live alone in boston my mom dad die but i am very strong but when i see you working hard and doing this kind of adventure make me worried to lose person like you please come home soon i need to see you doing reporting here we need you here please come i hope your boss read me and bring you back.

your fan
Raju Kumar
Boston

Israel’s actions are deplorable. How can you expect peace when you deny Palestinians dignity? Such aggressive violence will only perpetuate hatred in the Middle East. Could you imagine the outrage if Hamas destroyed a synagogue? What bothers me the most, however, is that any legitimate criticism of Israel is immediately labeled as anti-Semitism. That simply is not fair. I am embarrassed that my country gives carte blanche to what seems like a genocide of the Palestinians.

If I were a Palestinian, I would love my family as I do now. That love would require me to do what is best for my family. Unfortunately, Israeli and American media manipulation would ensure that I would be branded a terrorist for doing so. What are the Palestinian people to do? Accept that because Hitler committed genocide against the Jewish people, Palestinian lands should be given by way of reparation? Just sit on the land Israel didn’t want, shut up, and if they wouldn’t mind, please just die? When Ahmadinejad asks why Israel isn’t located in Europe, he is painted as an idiot. I don’t know, maybe it’s just the silly values I was taught as a child, but offering up a piece of Germany to pay for German crimes somehow would seem to have made more sense…

I ask everyone who is reading this and everyone who has posted. If Mexico was firing Rockets everyday into the US, what do you think the US would do?

Do you think we would take it and allow innocent civilians to be killed and live in fear? No. You know we would go in there and take out the rockets and make sure it stopped. This is the same thing Isreal is doing. Don’t forget Hamas has stated that their goal is the destruction of the State of Isreal. The Isreali goal is to live in peace. Don’t forget, Isreal is surrounded by countries that want to see them wiped off of the map (Syria, Iran, Saudi Arabia). They are defending themselves.

In terms of the civilian casualties, this is very sad, but with no independent reporting inside Gaza, how do we know the figures are accurate? Unfortunately, this conflict and others in the area will never end, because it is embedded into people’s faiths. Don’t forget this has gone on for thousands of years!

Anderson,

Your unbiased reporting is surely appreciated. It is devastating to see casualties on the Palestinian & Israeli sides. The fact that the casualties are multiplied by Hamas’ strategy of using schools and mosques as war grounds as well as in other cases using women and children as Shahids (martyrs) & shields adds to the dilemma.

I am certain that fighting a war in which one side is not seeking peace, but to fight until a certain goal is reached, is a scary & difficult task for the Israeli soldiers. In this case, Hamas’ goal could be found in their charter, to ‘liberate’ Palestine (Israel) and to kill the Jews. Such a government is certainly not looking for a realistic solution to the crisis, but is responsible for causing mass casualties on both sides.

The solution to this problem MUST involve the unbiased international community which will eradicate hatred from within the Palestinian community. They must assist the Palestinian people in building a responsible educational system, promote fair media and most importantly stop promoting Jew hatred. Teaching children that your neighbors are apes and pigs and that they’ve hijacked your country and then putting a gun or a suicide vest on them to target civilians is only going to breed more casualties and more hatred.

I, like you, hope to one day see the Israelis and Palestinians live peacefully side by side.

Thank you for TRYING to cover the real story – it is a sin that Israeli government won’t let you do it !

They are also robbing their innocent victims of humanitarian needs like food, blankets, medicines and so of course they don’t want you to cover that on television.

I am shocked and disappointed that world leaders are just standing by and allowing this atrocity to happen. You would think a group that suffered so during the Holocaust would have some mercy – but alas, no. They are depriving the innocent victims of their bombs by allowing them to just die on the streets – NGO’s are waiting at borders with supplies but aren’t allowed in; journalists waiting on borders.

I’m so tired of being politically incorrect – we have to call it as we see it and Israel is committing humanitarian atrocities.

Its the innocent that get hurt. Why not allow the women and children to enter Israel and Egypt esp at this time. Both Hamas and Israel leaders should be tried for war crimes.

Anderson, it is really great that you take the time to blog while you are over there. I really enjoy reading your thoughts.

Please stay safe.

As an American citizen who travels abroad, I feel that I rarely get unbiased accounts of what is going on in Palestine from the US press. I don’t think the average American understands the daily trials of an average Palestinian who is trapped in a land where they have no freedom of movement, not to mention hope to make a better life. Their lands have been stripped from them and their rights trampled on. If a person has no hope, it’s not surprising that they would resort to extremism. Bottom line, this will never be solved by military action and it will never be solved when one side uses heavy handed techniques. All we can hope for is that the new US administration truly does bring change.

Good reporting Anderson. Enough reports are coming out of Gaza depicting the plight of the Palestinians. It’s time some balanced reporting is taking place which reflects the Israeli side. Too many people here are quick to blame the Israelis when in fact it was Hamas who continued to provoke the situation and then hide among the Palestinian population like cowards.

Hey Anderson

Al Jazeera seems to have no problem broadcasting from Gaza.

Irrespective, of what side you take, you cannot deny the images of dead and injured children being taken into hospitals that are out of supplies.

It is amazing that the media portray’s this as a somewhat even fight between nation states.

It is not, with kill ratio’s at over 100-1 in favour of Israel. What you have here is a modern miltary squashing a rag tag band of guerrillas.

It is time to end this.

Stay safe Mr Cooper, I always enjoy your reporting you are admired by many, , regards, Mark.

Every Israeli person is past, present, or future soldiers. Their are no civilians in Israel. Hamas is fighting an (UN) illegal occupation of their home. They have endured years and years of oppression by Israel. Hamas compared to Israel has nothing to defend themselves with. Rocks against tanks is hardly fair. Children are murdered daily by Islael for wandering too close to the border. Pals die daily from Israeli aggression and if the only option they have is to hit back then may god bless them and grant them freedom. We (US) gives Israel billions of dollars and sh t on the Pals. Enough of the free ride for Israel.

It’s amazing how many different ways the news gets edited. Whatever happened to honest reporting? Lost in gunfire, and for the sake of public opinion, (obviously). I think it’s important to try to get to the truth, but this Israeli and Palestinian conflict is a tough one for me to understand. I have a hard time seeing an end to it. Each side has it’s own truth and each side thinks they’re right. But, in my opinion, as long as people are being killed, how can either side be “right”? Morally, both sides are “wrong” in resolving the conflict. However, After all these years, it looks more like a way of life (to me) than anything else. Does anyone still remember how all this got started?

Don’t worry about crossing into Gaza. It’s enough to know that 600 of them have lost their lives. Why do people need to see peoples head blown off to know that it’s horrible. Or to see bloodied children to know that “war is hell”.
Rockets must stop falling in Israel. It’s been said a 100 times, “What country in the world would tolerate it ” ?
I like to know how it’s going, and I’m praying for an end to the violence. Your reporting is as it should be. Hamas is a terrorist org. and you will be in danger in Gaza for who you are…… American. Don’t risk it.
Let the U.N. go in Gaza.
It’s very sad that the people have voted in Hamas and their children and civilians are suffering for it now. They basically voted to keep targeting Israel with rockets, it’s what the Gazans wanted.So they should not be surprised at whats happening to themselves and their families, tragic as it is.
Stay safe Anderson and crew.

Thank God you ARE safe….as much as you would like to chronical the event it is what it is…a War….the public has become so hung up on getting the thrill picutres that they miss the historical moment taking place. For the sake of Israel families and Gaza families I pray those in power use common sense and serve their public well by seeking peace..nothing good comes out of fighting..ever!

Anderson- Question for you- How Many of Those rocketts would have to fall in YOUR back yard before you’d say ENOUGH & use what ever means neccesary to put a stop to it once & for all? If Some one were to shoot at you from a School, Mosque, House how many rounds would you allow to be sent at you before you take the place out? If You answered more than one the chances are in battle that you’d be dead.
Think about it.

Thanks for blogging so much; it really adds to what we’re seeing on television to know more about the process and about what your very experienced thoughts are. Don’t get too frustrated–you know what your limitations are; they are beyond your control and you are doing the best that you can. I wouldn’t expect anything less from you and I’m sure most of your other viewers feel the same way. There is going to be criticism regardless of what you do–remember that you wouldn’t have such voracious opinions about your work if you didn’t touch a nerve, and if people didn’t feel like their opinions would make a dent, they wouldn’t bother commenting. If you think about it that way, even the criticisms are a compliment.

Get as much sleep as you can; you need your wits about you out there.

Keep your chin up. New York is pulling for you. Come home soon.

No matter what you report or why each size fires missles, lauches attacks, kills innocent children or adults, war never settles disputes and never addresses the core causes of conflict. When will we learn to address the cause of conditions which leave war as the only answer. It has never worked and never will but deep down I think that each size gets pleasure in warring with one another knowing that it won’t bring about peace but feels good to inflict harm and retaliate.

I wish both sides would grow up and stop hiding their lust for hate and retaliation and resolve their conflict. It is not as difficult as they each claim it is. There is a reason Hamas is rocketing Isreal and a bigger reason why Isreal is attacking innocent individuals. The end clearly does not justify the means not matter how much Isreal wants it to.

Shame on both sides! But, more shame to Isreal for failing to find the diplomatic resolution! Clearly lust for retaliation is in their hearts.

Congratulations Anderson! I’m glad there are still reporters like you. I’m glad you are describing press control examples, because there are even worst as far I have barely hear from the press in past conflicts. About past exposure on the Israeli Hezbollah war, yes, while I was watching TV I thought: Why is the Israeli army allowing those pictures?! I do not believe on ill intentions of the Israeli army in not allowing the press, I just think they are well aware that Hamas controls what is portrayed in their Ramattan TV (I saw it on CNN online), and that they also would be able to see some of the Israeli movements if cameras would be allowed. I think Israel is taking the risk of whether protecting its troops or allowing Hamas to control what the world sees. I ask myself: UN says that about 20 or 30 percent of the death are civilians….where is the 70 or 80 percent which are not civilians? They are seen on the pictures….

It is so sad that we have not learned a thing over history. I have come to the conclusion that there is no real solution to the Israeli and Palestinian conflict. The blood of children will continue to be spilled. I now believe that a two state solution won’t work either. I have resolved myself to seeing these horrible pictures like those we have seen this week until I pass into the next world. Thank you Anderson for your passion and quest for the truth. Keep your head on a swivel and low to the deck!

Where were all of the anti Israel protesters when Israeli women and children were targeted by Hamas rockets? Wake up World!!!

Anderson,

When the death toll is 600 Palestinians v. 5 Israelis, I don’t think it matters what kind of pictures the world is seeing, lets all use some common sense and admit this is unjust and disgusting what Israel is doing and even more disgusting that the United States as the World’s so called leader is silent.

Anderson please stay safe and take care. I applaud you for your courage and sense of obligation as a reporter. I wouldn’t/couldn’t even consider putting myself in your place. I can’t watch the coverage it is too heart wrenching. I can’t understand how there isn’t someway to provide safety, food and medical care to the people of Gaza. Someone posted here that the people of Gaza support Hammas and that is not true as there are only a very small percentage connected to Hammas. It seemed this post was trying to justify killing of Gaza People and there is just no justification in killing innocent victims.
Be Safe.

Hi, Anderson.

Thanks for the great blog and taking the time to keep us informed while you are in the field.

I spent the day taking down the Christmas tree, boxing up decorations, etc. There is a light snow falling here and the world outside my window looks fresh and clean. Then I take a few minutes to check out the 360 website and see what’s going on half a world away. Thanks for the reality check! We sometimes forget how lucky we are to be in a warn house with plenty of food on our table.

I know you want to be in the Gaza so you are able to report a more accurate story. It was interesting to hear how Hezbollah manipulated journalists in 2006. Thanks for all you do, to bring our attention to these important stories. Looking forward to tuning into 360 tonight –
Stay safe and God Speed.

from all whats going on there this is the only thing that you can report a rocket hit israel with no casulities while hundreds of bombs are directed from israel to Gaza and kiling hundreds of people.and you say you are trying to be fair.who is manipulating the news,here?why do you think isreal wont let you see whats going on Gaza isnt just obvious that they want you to broadcast what they want .and i think you know whats really hapening there but you wont dare to tell the truth.this war and killing isnt just because of hamas ,israel has always find reasons and excuses to just kill and kill more palsetinians even before hamas ,they wont rest until the palsetinians are vanished ,its genocide thats what it is .why its always a terrorist attack when a palestinian kills an israeli while if an isreali killed hundreds of palsestinans its self defense .when this double standred is going to stop.palsetinans have the right to exist in their country and to live as any other people but this is the last thing isreal wants .

Mr. Cooper etal

I think that not everyone in this fourm understands why this is happening in the first place. Yes, it is true that Hamas has been sending rockets on Israeli land. But, we must remember how all this got started. We, the US, advocated Democracy in the Middle East. Elections were held, and Palestine is now split into two separate parts, ruled by two separate parties. When you encourage Democracy and free elections, you can not come back and cry foul if the party that won election is not liked by the US or Israel. So, We and the Israelis are working nicely with the Fatah party, and declared Hamas as a terrorist organization notwithstanding the fact that they were elected by their own people.

Now, because of this, Israel has put in place a boycott that does not allow the flow of humanitarian aid to the people in Gaza. In Hamas’ mind, that was unacceptable, hence the rockets started firing. So, I think that there are plenty of blame to go around for this atrocity, and the lesson I hope that everyone should understand is, not to interfere politically with the Middle East and try to establish “Democratic” governments. It can not happen, will not happen, and not feasible because their religious beliefs prohibits the so called Democracy. And what is happening in Gaza is a testament to this.

Lets try to remember that Israel and the Mossad are just as heavy handed at manipulating the press as Hamas is. It really is sad how biased, for Israel, western media has become.

Anderson,

I’m supposed to leave for a pilgrimage through Israel for 10 days next week (not near Gaza, though). I’ve had this trip planned for months, and right before I’m getting ready to leave, this happens. I’ve been trying to get as much information from every place I can seek, so thank you for this blog. I’m also a journalist and I fully trust your reports. I know you’ll always report the truth. Please keep us posted via the internet too (I don’t have CNN at home) so I can make a final decision whether to go or not. Thank God for people like you! Oh yeah, my biggest fear is retaliation from suicide bombers. Any word on the possibility of that?

Stay safe out there!
Shari from Phoenix

Hamas wants casualties. They are hiding behind women and children in hopes of showing the world what big bad monsters the Israelis are.

I have no doubt that someone hid in that shelter fired a rocket and booted it out of there for the shelter to be attacked. Yeah, big brave Hamas. Stop firing the damn rockets and the problem goes away. But that won’t happen. They are only half a damn as insurgents, terrorists. They are useless as politicians just like everyone else. It’s much easier to be a big man throwing rocks than solving problems.

Some of these people on this blog crack me up. Israel painstakingly goes after terrorist;s at a cost to their own troops lives while Hamas fires rockets specifically at civilian targets. Just yesterday they hit a Kindergarten classroom. Big difference!

Hamas also stages a lot of the pictures you see because guess what? They are not a free and open democratic society. Big difference!

Ham s also wants to kill al Israelis . They want the destruction of Israel. The Israelis just want to live in peace. Big difference!

What would we do if just one rocket not hundreds of rockets were hitting Washington D.C. or New York? It wouldn’t even be a question of how we would respond. Big difference!

Anthony – New York, NY

Once again Israel is controllng the news. Israel doesnt wnat the world to know what it is doing. I dont think were to happy to find out there was CNN reporter on the boat it tried to sink. Boy, this didnt stay in the news very long. The world wonders why. The attack on this small boat by the Israel Navy is jut like the attack on the USS Liberty 41 years before.

The attack on the two UN schools shows how far they will go. Didnt they atack a UN site before with some other lame reason.

When is enough. Look back 60 years to the attack on the King David Hotel. The killing of Brits and civilians werent from the PLO but Israel terrorists. sorry they were freedom fighters. yea right, tell that to the dead Brits families.

taipan

Good job Anderson. Journalism is the best lense we the people can use to get a feel of whats going down in Gaza. Unfortunately a muzzled lense can only do as so much good and while global ignorance hails from the US outwards, the solemn reality that war will never solve the issue and that sooner or later the international community needs to be involved in a lasting solution, should not only remind us of that fierce urgency of now but more so encourage our goverments and each one of us to fight for the sanctity of human life.
You work is amazing and to say the least i am ever so impressed to see you at the fore front. Keep safe and shall we all pray for a safer tommorow and while the odds are againsts us, there is always hope!

Good job Cooper. Will definately be watching you tonight!

For every action there is a reaction.

Why did Hamas launch rockets into Israel? Israel has enforced a blockade that killed many people for lack of food, medicine, etc.

Even though Israel withdrew from Gaza few years ago, it controlled boarder crossings of Gaza, if that is not occupation, I don’t know what is.

Gaza’a crime was electing Hamas. That is why they were and continue to be punished. Bush insists on democracy for the middle east, but when the people of Gaza elect Hamas, which is not a puppet to Israel or the U.S., they decided to punish it.

It puzzles me that Bush and Israel consider Mubarak and King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia as allies, when they are the worst dictators in the middle east.

If hamas cared about their people actually if the whole arab world cared about their people they would be taking their money and using it to better their people’s lives instead of buying bombs and provoking Israel. They cowardly run behind civilians and then cry foul when the civilian dies. I hope Israel destroys hamas once and for all.

Gaza is one of the most densely populated area on earth. Where should Hamas “terrorists” go to wage war? Are Palestinians cowards? Israel would like to see them gather in a parking lot and wait for the bombs from an F-18 or an Helicopter. Very courageous tactic by the israeli army. They keep repeating John McCain’s anthem: bomb, bomb, bomb… Lets bomb our way to a peace where the opposition, be it civilians, woman, children, will disappear under the rubbles.

If that’s where you want to be Anderson (in Gaza) then hopefully you can get access soon.

Anderson, I appreciate seeing your boots on the ground in this conflict. Given what I’ve seen of your reporting, I can feel assured you’ll be fair in reporting reality. I’m a former Marine and the situation, while disturbing, is a logical outbreak to the path these two entities have promulgated. Hamas, has legitimate concerns regarding thier sovereignty and Israel has concerns for the security of it’s people. These issues have been a concern to both since prior to my birth. Both are extremely obstinate people and feel the need to address these concerns “a priori” to making concessions of thier own. Hamas needs to rethink thier ideology to overcome the obstacles they find in reaching thier goal, and Israel needs to remember the values and culture of thier people to rise above this crisis. I’ve read through this blog (and this is actually the first I’ve participated in) and find some of the comments enlightening and others reprehensible. Inflammatory rhetoric is not going to provide either side with the opening it will need in order to bring this to an end.

Anyone that thinks this is a fair fight is a moron, plain and simple. The reason the IDF wont let journalist into the area is because they dont want them showing the amount of destruction and death these coward IDF forces and its senior commanders have done to the area..its like Cooper said, its public relations control and israel is doing just that.showing how much of a coward they are. They dont know where and who to hit so they figure if they hit civilian targets it will put more pressure on hamas to stop firing rockets into israel. Its likea grown man beating up a little kid until he says uncle..yup, the Israeli army has never had the balls to fight a fair war.

Nobody wants to see innocent children suffer or die in any war. The children in Gaza were doomed from birth as they are raised from infancy to be militant and indoctrinated in hatred. Hamas is squarely to blame for the conditions. If there were no suicide bombers, no errant missile launches and no vow to drive Israel into the sea…there would be no blockades, no checkpoints and no security fence.

The Israeli people want to be left alone and live in peace. If you punch them in the nose, they should break your hand to discourage it from happening again. The gloves are off, I just hope they don’t buckle to international pressure. Even Egyptian Hosni Mubarak said Israel needs to finish Hamas off.

I have found it interesting in the news coverage recently, that in the wreckage of Gaza there are always children playing in the rubble, Either it is staged or there are a bunch of parents in Gaza that do not care where their children are. Bombs are falling, ships are shelling as well as tanks, bullets are flying. “yes dear, go out and play while the camera is on”… huh??? If that were going on here, the UN Security Council could be meeting outside my home and I would not allow my child out into such a risk filled environment. War is horrible and I wish it on NO ONE, but something is not right here….

Israel is NOT an occupying force. They left Gaza a couple of years ago. The Palesinian Authority was supposed to govern, but they got kicked out by Hamas. Hamas is the governing body in control of Gaza. They were apparently elected by those living in Gaza.

No where in the rest of the world would a country tolerate continued rocket attacks against its citizens and do nothing. Israel is heavy-handed, that is true, but the root cause is Hamas and other terrorist organizations in the region.

Anderson,

Please stay safe. Thank you for risking all you do you give us great reporting…its good to see you in the field again…

To those that are using this occasion to blame everything on Israel killing innocent civilians. Where were you when Hamas was firing missiles into Israel, blowing civilians up with homicide bombers, etc ?
I didn’t hear you whining then.
The fact of the matter is, there is a fundamental difference between fanatic Muslims and Israeli defense forces. IDF does not torture or kill prisoners or cover their hands in their blood. They feed them and treat them well. They do not deliberately target civilians and they do not hide behind and sacrifice their own children to score points with the news-hungry media (btw- It is good to finally see the news media barred from taking the one-sided Palestinian view , they are mostly idiotic reporters that are clueless about how they are manipulated, or maybe the Arabs are paying them). The terrorists are proving again that lives are less important than the key to heaven to them (that is the definition of a lunatic- someone who is brainwashed by murderous clergy who use idiots and desperate people as bombs instead of using the money they receive for good). I am of non-Jewish parents btw. The majority of the muslim nations are hypocrites, fanatics and gutless to stand up and speak the truth about their own shortcomings. They do not stand for Justice for all, only their twisted view of the world. After all, look where it all started. The Saudi flag has a sword on it. That says it all. So down to Iran, Syria , Libya and anyone else who supports Hamas or terrorism.

Hi Anderson,

Your column is not as fair as it pretends to be. Although both sides are manipulating the media, the coverage by US media is so weighed in favor of Israel that it is sickening in our country which claims to cherish freedom of the press.

More balanced coverage is to be found in the newspaper Haaretz from Israel than from any of our country’s newspapers or TV channels. Why is it that one almost always sees Israeli Defense Forces spokesperson, former Israeli consuls or ambassadors or US ambassadors to Israel speaking to the media? Few Palestinian representatives and almost none from Hamas (whom I am not a fan of ) have been given an equal voice.

I expected a more balanced coverage from you.

Anderson:Your are a smart guy, how come we hear so much about
international pressure building up against Israel because of the UN school.How come you did not report what erery one knows . that Hamas put fighters inside the school to draw fire.. That lookd like yoy
are defending the thugs. Maybe you should ride around with Hamas
so you can report what is really going on

The control of the media by both sides speaks volumes. I know this is what governments in war do, but it is grossly unjust to the voiceless victims of these power struggles. Oh the horrors that the world should know of the true loss from this conflict of grown adults who need to learn healthy conflict resolution skills (and that obviously doesn’t involving bombing and shooting the snot out of each other). I pray you can get what you need to tell their stories. But until that moment of actual functioning brain activity when they realize that what they are doing is moronic, I guess the best you all can do is just breathe, accept what you cannot change, and continue to do what you are to speak for the innocent. It will all work out. It always does.

If Hammas is so good clean and inocent and they have great capacity to bring well being to their constituents how is it that with all the help from the arab world economic and logistic which helps them contraband arms, and rockets they still do not have the capability to convince the Egyptians to open the door.

They have not have the capacity to separate military from civilian so that Israel will not have excuses to bomb civilian areas, but it is proven that they do not care about their people they only care about their objectives which are mainly the destruction of Israel.

How come they are able to import weapons and have enough money to do so but not food and medical supplies?? isn’t this ridiculous that they care about destroying instead of building schools and teaching their constituents jobs to be able to gain their own living without having to wait for the world to help. It is very easy to blame others for their own mistakes. LET’S MAKE THEM ACCOUNTABLE. THEY ARE WHERE THEY WANT TO BE.

Anderson, and the rest of the world…just remember a few key facts:
1) Hamas is a TERRORIST group.
2) Yes, the Palestinians elected Hamas. That is completely ridiculous. That is like Afghanistan electing Al Qaeda, or the US electing the KKK.
3) Hamas broke the cease fire.
4) Hamas purposely shoots rockets at Israeli civilians, with the specific and only intent of killing innocent people.
5) Yes, innocent Palestinians have been killed as a very unfortunate side affect of Israel’s DEFENSIVE efforts, however, Israel’s intent is to damage Hamas.
6) Hamas cowardly hides among the innocent Palestinian civlians, therefore, putting their own people at risk.

This is pure anti-semitism. Look at the facts, not just your emotions!

History is written by the victors…
I think a fact that is being widely overlooked is that with the military might of Israel, they could just as well obliterate the entire of Gaza. Instead the death toll even though it sounds high Israel is targeting Hamas where they hide. Israel can not be blamed for terrorist who hide behind civilians If they are so proud of what they do, why do they cover their faces and scurry away like rats when cornered

Stay safe Anderson, and keep up the good work

Many people offering comments seem bewildered by the apparent inhumanity of leaders on both sides, and feel frustrated at how the Israelis and Hamas simply keep trying to shout one another down with the same tired ‘talking points’. It would help those in the West to understand 1) the history of the region, not the revisionist histories of either side or their supporters but a broad, multidisciplinary approach encompassing the past 125 years; 2) get past the notion of black hats and white hats; EVERYONE on the field is drawing from Machiavelli’s playbook, and EVERYONE there has some legitimate grievances; and 3) this is largely a public relations war, one in which both sides are posturing for the audience (largely North America and Europe). This is entirely the case for Hamas; they WANT pictures of dying Palestinian children and burnt-out schools to stir up outrage against Israel, to further isolate it and, perhaps, in hope that a new American president might choose to distance himself from Israel. This is WHY they have continued the rocket attacks, why they surround themselves with only women and children. ..

CNN has the opportunity to do what the rest of the mainstream media has failed to so far, and that is to drive home to the public that Hamas is a TERRORIST organization, bent on the destruction of Israel. They do NOT fight “fair”. Hamas knows they win the PR battle when Israel goes after them where they are – when they hide themselves and their weapons in schools and hospitals!

Why isn’t Hamas being condemned for the obvious: they not only do not care if Palestinians are murdered, but HAMAS actually purposefully puts Palestinians in harm’s way so that outsiders will condemn Israel.

Israel CANNOT allow Hamas to continue attacking Israel with the constant barrage of rockets than has been coming from Gaza for months and months. Where has the UN’s outrage been over this? Israel has to put a stop to it because no one else will!

Hey Anderson,

Hope you are able to get into Gaza before long, surely that is frustrating for you all to be so close, yet unable to get through to tell the story. Hang in there, it will happen. Just remember, safety above all. Looking forward to this evening’s program and thank you for the awesome and informative post.

From what i can gather, Gaza is a giant refugee camp, of course the people who live there are exploding in violence. Happy people do not toss rockets at their neighbors.

I was scheduled to visit Israel, Tel Aviv and Jerusalem-do you think that is safe?

it’s very sad for me to see posts like the one from Randy, Calgary, Canada who says the poor palestinians are suffering for Hitler’s crimes…. and other posters who say the palestinians are only doing what they must.
the truth, whether you wanna admit it or not, is that the civilians in palestine are allowing groups like Hamas and other terrorists (that’s what they are!) rule their land. Hamas uses them and their children and schools as shields and this is nothing new. they’ve been doing this for decades and everyone knows it. terrorists are cowardly and very ignorant people who are coerced by arab leaders to cause destruction so that the price of oil can rise. without oil they are nothing. once they run out of oil, they will be forced into either starvation or a nuclear holocaust. after all, how many arabs living in the middle east have you heard of that are businessmen or doctors or lawyers or anything other than either a rebel terrorist, govt police (same thing) or just poor with nothing…. Hello!! PEOPLE OF PALESTINE – pull yourselves together!! get Hamas out of there and allow people who actually care about all of their people to run their govt.

Get the story for us, Mr. Cooper, but be safe.

It is not like Mexico firing rockets into the Texas. It is more like a group of Native Americans fire some rockets at Texas and kill one person, and then the governement goes in and kills 500 Native Americans including hundreds of civilians. That would be a better analogy. Such a response would be extremely disproportionate. The Israelis’ response is unjust because it has resulted in hundreds of civilian deaths.

Just when you find yourself sympathizing with the victims of rocket attacks, the Israeli military starts acting like Nazis! Butchering Lebanese civilians earlier was obviously not enough, so now the Gazan civilians are next up for slaughter. No wonder the Israelis don’t want CNN filming what they’re up to. Gaza City will be the new Lidice. An Israeli child is viciously wounded by Hamas thugs , and the price….100 innocent Gazan women and children put to death. And the Israeli military finds this justifiable! I grieve for Israeli victims, who are truly innocent , but I despise the Israeli military….they are even worse murderers than Hamas. As an American, my heart bleeds for the innocent Palestinians. I am tired of Israel bringing shame to the rest of us, with its brutality and apartheid tactics.

I find the whole tactic of hiding militant combatants in civilian sectors to be abhorrent; any effort to deal with the threat they pose is bound to result in innocents being hurt. Hamas is wrong – sick, actually – to be employing this tactic, and to thinking people, are showing their true colors. I appreciate all media efforts to unspin the spin thus created. Thank you, Anderson, for your efforts to educate the US public on this matter.

Those who think that the battle is lopsided and unfair because Israel has the superior fighting force does not understand the situation, the complexity of urban warfare, and the tactics of terrorism. I hope CNN will step up efforts to educate people so they can better understand what is going on, and thus can enter debate on the subject from knowledge, not from emotion.

Hi Mr. Anderson. I think that you are great on the field and you are my favorite reporter. It is interesting to see you on the field for the first time after I read your book. One thing I really hope you see from this and I really would like you to know is that I really am happy that I read your book. I am 16 and when you wrote many of the topics that you did, it really opened my eyes to things I was unaware of. I, for the first time, felt like I was beginning to comprehend Katrina and the other problems. I will admit, and I hope you dont get mad, that towards the end, I felt it was getting a bit repetative but I knew you were just telling it like it is…and unfortuanately these issues are all the same: sad, frustrating, and complicated. Back to this issue though, my parents were argueing over it a couple nights ago, each taking a side and as I watched I felt a little confused because there are complicated factors to this and it was as if they are fighting over who is right and who is wrong. I may be wrong, but as a naive teenager I believe that once people’s lives are at hand it no longer matters who is wrong or right, but instead to fix it. Unfortuanately, there this is not like going to the doctor and getting a prescription to fix it. I hope you are careful, and I also hope that you understand how grateful I am to be able to get the truth from somewhere. The real truth, it is a comforting feeling…though it may not be pleasant.

The media is already so biased pro-Israel, that’s what I thought you meant by “controlling the message.” I truly don’t understand why the world is not outraged by the starvation and massacre of the Palestinians – other than the fact that many people are unaware or focused on the wrong things because of the unbelievably prejudiced reporting. How can this happen?

While I appreciate your efforts at being fair during the conflict, why wasn’t CNN or any western news agency for that matter, reporting on the daily Hamas rocket attacks in the past? This didn’t start in December, but the reporting makes it sound like it did. Hamas has been at this for a long time and finally Israel is fed up.

Israel will not allow reporters in Gaza as they do not want the truth of their terrorist activity revealed. The rockets fired by the Hamas are like throwing stones into the wind, while Israel, backed with power given by the US kills innocent people on a mass scale.

This is not a war, it is a war crime and the people of Israel are guilty of war crimes just as Bush and Cheney are guilty of war crimes, yet the world fails to hold anyone accountable other than those who are not able to defend themselves. Those killed are called terrorist and criminals.

It appears that the world is moving faster and faster toward an end that cannot be stopped by anyone other than a higher power.

Cooper : Is Hamas stashing weapons in mosques, and firing from residential areas? Does the majority of Gaza’s people approve of this?

Can you tell us how much danger the reporters would actually be in if they were allowed into Gaza? Is there any way you can communicate that to us? I know that most reporters don’t care about their well being but I just want to know relatively how dangerous the situation would be. Dangerous can mean many things.

Great Job Anderson … What about the 40 kids killed at a UN school in Gaza last night, what about killing doctors and shooting at ambulances … how many more women and children have to die before you and your network begin to show the ugly face of occupation, oppression and stop letting the Israeli propaganda machine feed you lies?

Don’t you think the people of Palestine have the right to defend themselves? How is it that Palestinian self defense is terrorism, yet terrorism and occupation by Israel is OK. It is one thing for Bush “worst president ever” to side with Israel … by you … we expect much more from you … especially from you Anderson. Check the facts, question the motives, research, and bring us news … bring us the truth.

“Bleeding Heart” Anderson — and the rest of the liberal media — just can’t help siding with terrorists — really, really, really pitiful!

CNN failed in covering GAZA massacre. CNN had live coverage of Mumbai attacks but it did not cover GAZA at all. Shame on you guys. Did you cover Mumbai attacks because the wrongdoers were Muslims and you are not covering GAZA massacre because the victims are Muslims and Israel is the source of terror. Now I am watching presstv and aljazeera. they are much more informative than BBC or CNN.

After watching the 11pm coverage of AC360, I woke up at 4am feeling impatient and needing something – too early to go walking around the neighborhood, and failing to go back to sleep, I tuned in for a repeat of it this morning at 5am. Just like last night, the images coming through were a reminder that things are just not getting any better – talk about an understatement. It is, however, always sadder when children are involved, knowing that innocent life has been taken is beyond understanding. Realizing that a plausible resolution is no closer, is far worse. I don’t know who is to blame – from experience there are three sides to every story (”ours”, “theirs” and in the middle of those the “truth”) – but Anderson, and crew, I do thank you for the effort to report all sides. For attempting to unearth the facts, for reporting it so honestly and with emotion – reserved as it sometimes is, thoughts and prayers of all your safe returns are being sent your way.

Nice blog Mr.Anderson. Where were you and all the journalists when Gaza was under blockade which was againts the cease fire? Where were the journalists when people were straved due to the Gaza blockade and were dying silent death. I am so appalled that there is no body supporting the weak and the poor of Palestine.

Hi Cooper, why don’t you go to Gaza to examine the remains of the Israeli missiles. You sound like an Israeli soldier. Little wonder there’s not much coverage of the carnage on CNN. I was alive to see the 24-hour coverage of Mumbai attacks. No surprises. Keep up the good work!

Mr Anderson,
Too bad you don’t have a 360 degree view from where u are reporting.

You would have seen how Israeli settlers are killing more Palestinian refugees.

Seems like everyone is forgetting that the territory Israel is now defending in the Gaza strip was ordered by the UN ti give it back to the Palestinian people. This fact is not relevant now because the unequal battle they are in right now. Where are the Human Rights Organizations?????. Where is the UN and its power to stop this massacre???
Are the Palestinian women and Children less important, yet less human that the Israel’s people???. Is so sad to see that at the end seems like the only important thing for almost everyone is the money and the power behind the State of Israel in the US and in the world. Shame in all of them.

Given the atrocities that are going on, it’s amazing that our government is solidly behind Israel and is blaming the victims for starting the conflict. The media is also spinning the story to put the blame on the Palestinians. Look, this has nothing to do with Hamas. Israel has consistently bombarded Gaza (and other areas in the region) regardless of who was in power. It’s ok for Israel to kill, destroy homes, blocade access to basic food and medecine, occupy more land for Jewish settlements, but shame on the Palestinians to resist or fight back. Israel’s consistent agression against civilians, disregard for basic human rights, UN resolutions and peace agreements is what has created and strengthened the hands of Hamas and Hizbollah in the region. As Ehud Barak once said ” If I were a palestinian, I would likely be a terrorist too”. Just imagine for a minute if roles were reversed and the Palestenians were invading and bombarding a defensless Israel …. would we sit back and just watch?

Hi Mr. Anderson. I am really pleased to see that is you out there on the field, you really handle it well. I also wanted to say how happy I am to have read your book recently; and you should know that you completely opened my eyes to issues that I had never understood before. I am 16 and I never fully comprehened these problems. You opened my eyes to a whole different world, one different than the sugar-coated suburbs I live in. I really hope that you understand that you changed my life, cheesy I know, but you sparked my interest in knowing more than just what is in the textbooks in school. The truth. On the issue we have here I feel nothing but despair and frustration. The other night my parents were argueing a bit over the problem, taking sides at the matter and I must admit as I watched…I was a bit confused. Pardon me for my naive teenage mind set, but I always thought that when innocent lives are at hand or any lives feel that they need to be sacrificed, then the question should not be over who is right or wrong. Rather it should be how to fix it, and I know that there are people working to solve it. Unfortuanately, this isn’t like going to the doctor. There is not just one prescription to fix it. Well, I hope you are careful. I really appreciate knowing that you represent the truth. It is a comfort knowing that there is truth available somewhere…though it may not be pleasant. -Zeynep Karatas

4000 rockets fell on Israel for 8 years, 8 years of suffering, e years of children running to bomb shelters, and cities under siege. We must end this violence, we must end the suffering of all people of the area.

The only way to do that is through the total destruction of any Islamic terrorist organization, such as Hamas, Hizbolla, al-queada, taliban, in fact any whose whole purpose is the destruction , killing and slavement of non-muslims.

So Isreal have my support to stay in Gaza until Hamas is not a treat any more.

One sided Journalism, only saying the Israeli side as reporters are not allowed to enter Gaza and report the other side. To me this shows the propaganda warfare that Israel need to so called “win the hearts and minds” of the people in the West.

Get real, Cooper. Of course you are trying to remain PC, but it is glaringly OBVIOUS even to the blind that Israel is using disproportionate force. Why won’t you just come out and say it? This assault on Gaza will only stregthen Hamas and its cause in the long run, turning moderates into radicals, and flaring anti-Western sentiment in Palestine, Afghanistan, Iraq and beyond. What an idiotic strategy on the part of Israel.

The Arabs have a long history of being liars!

The Israels would not be bombing if the Gazens choice of leaders didn’t keep begging for it with there 5,000+ rockets being launched into Israel for years. The Arabs of the world are not generous to send relief or money to help the hungry fellow man. The USA has been the most generous with aid & food to the Gazens for Many, Many, Many, years. The Gazens have been ungrateful & they elected a terrorist group to lead & govern them. The USA tried to help but terrorbag Arafat could not ever be satisfied. Yea, he was a big liar too. The Gazens should be less lazy and hunt down and put in jail the criminals that keep launching rockets into Israel. No country would have tolorated more rocket attacks then Israel has. There are videos on the internet that show hamas shooting rockets and mortors from schools and mosques. I don’t know why cnn is unwilling or afraid to air them. I hope they have not recieved money from Arab countries to slant there reporting. Mr. Anderson you are a great reporter and I thank you for your honest reporting. God bless all man kind.

Check with Joel Rosenberg with Joshua Fund to learn how Hamas has taken the items they have taken into Gaza and used it for themselves and not given it to the people. Joel is a reliable source and is in Israel right now working to help those suffering from this mess. Hamas sees sacrificing their life or those of children and women as glorious things to do if it will control the press. Please make sure you make it clear that Hamas is set on total destruction of Israel and that Moslem law allows for a cease fire only to build up strength. It is a sin to them to give in or give back land already owned by them, even if they took it themselves in 600 AD some 2000 years after the Jews entered the land and made it prosper. There is no such thing as a cease-fire so be sure to report how during the last cease fire the rockets still came daily. Show some of the suffering in Israel and maybe balance out the lies that come from the other side until you are allowed in. The reason you are not joining the IDF this time is because it doesn’t help the battle. It hurts it. The world needs to get behind Israel and just plain stop listening to false information given to it by Hamas.

It should also be noted that Israel has also opened its hospitals to some of the victims from Gaza. In fact, yesterday, they even brought an injured Hamas terrorist into an Israeli hospital after the IDF captured him. Hardly an in-humanitarian gesture many media outlets would have you believe Israel is engaging in.

What is the point of wearing a vest if your not wearing a helmet?

Anderson,
I hope that 2 sides Israel and Gaza willing truce, Israel need to stop bomb in Gaza….. I think it was so bad on the war…… I saw all women and children got hurt from bomb or rocket…. I hope that Israel willing do their withdrawal from Gaza…. it made me more nervous to see children and women…. my heart breaking so hard for them… Stay safe Anderson and Crew!!!!!! Take care!

How many times in the past decades Israel creid Arafat and the PLO? Now they cry Hamas. Its the OCCUPATION!

Palestinians are doing what Patrick Henry dead and said ‘Give me Liberty, or give me death!

Will your reporting be only talking with Israeli offcials? How about Peace groups for a change!

Cooper -
I just don’t understand why Israel has to respond to a few missile attacks with such violence. Why can’t they just end their occupation, open the border, and let Palestinian society develop into a flourishing trading partner?
If there is one journalist Israel should let in, it should be you. That way, we can get the real story and not just what Hamas want’s people to see.
Michael

I understand Hamas’ use of media coverage for their advantage, but have you ever questioned why Israel really limits the press? Perhaps there are things they don’t want seen by the international community.
Having spent time in Palestine, I understand Israel’s control of pictures and the press. You are not allowed to take pictures of some of the worst areas that Palestinians are expected to live in (film has to be smuggled out)
You do not see the pictures of Israeli soldiers shooting at Palestinians while they try to harvest their olive groves, or the horrific treatment in check points while just trying to get to a job or seek medical treatment. Perhaps if AC would like to prove he is a fair and unbiased reporter, (and I think he is) he should report on this area before the bloodshed starts so as to have a better understanding of the conflict from both sides.

People have been fighting over the lands of Israel for thousands of years, sadly this is just another chapter in future history books. It is very hard to understand why they just can’t stop & leave it alone, on both sides. Obviously, it is so much easier to live in peace than to live through wars.

Violence begets violence. Have we not learned from past experience? I am still unsure of what both sides think they will truly accomplish by their current tactics.

I am sad that no one talks about the sanctions imposed by Israel, Egypt and the United States which led to this terrible crisis. Hamas is not right, but apparently there was no other way to call the world’s attention to the crisis inside Gaza. Now they have our attention.

HELLO ANDERSON…

CAN YOU FAIRLY COVER THIS FORM THE ISRAELI SIDE.. DOUBTFUL AND VERY DIFFICULT..

WHY YOU SAY………..

THE ISRAELIS WILL SHUT YOU YOU DOWN IN A NEW YORK MINUTE…

BUT TRY…

LOOK AT THE HUMAN SUFFERING OF THE PALESTINIANS WHO HAVE NO SHELTERS TO RUN AWAY FROM THE BRUTAL ISRAELI WAR MACHINE….

Anderson, why did you go there if you cannot report real action inside Gaza, what you did yesterday Nick Robertson has been doing past one week. this is all CNN propaganda biased towards Israel past one week we are hearing.

Its a shame that the press is not creating a massive uproar about the fact that Israel is not allowing them into Gaza. I can’t see how journalists feel like they are doing their job by standing on the sidelines.

Israel coins its arguments in the conference rooms of PR firms, and their arguement that their hits are ‘targetted’ and do not aim at civilians is a lie, confirmed by their restricting entery of journalists to Gaza.

What right does Israel have in controlling who enters or does not enter Gaza? ISrael is committing crimes against humanity, and need to desperately keep that away from the world’s eyes. So far they are suceeding, it is tragic to say.

Hi Anderson– Indeed, if you could investigate the Israeli army’s claim that Hamas is stashing weaponry is mosques and schools, that would be quite eye-opening. Although, it doesn’t make sense that Hamas would do so because the Gazans would be in uproar, but as it seems, this Israeli offensive is strengthing Hamas.

I love this – apparently now that Anderson Cooper is “on the scene” somehow the real picture of what is happening in Gaza will be reported. Egos of supposed “journalists” today never cease to amaze.

To the contrary – CNN is in bed with the Palestinians and have been for a long time.

We know the story AC – Israel got really tired of daily rocket attacks against their citizens and yes, even children – and decided to take the necessary steps to minimize this risk.

We also know the story of Hamas – shoot rockets at will, hide behind civilians and especially children (Hamas views children as future human bombs with which to kill Jews).

There will never be peace in the Middle East until the Arabs love their children more than they hate the Jews.

The most effective way to “control the message” would be to get a major news network to report that your opposition was”controlling the message”.

Anderson,

My hat is off to you and what you are trying to accomplish. I feel sorry for the inocent people that are being injured and killed on both sides.

I suggest you find a Bible and take a look at the Book of Daniel, Ezekial 38, Mathew and Revelation. It might give you some insight on where this is headed.

Anderson, i get the sense that while you must be frustrated to no end about being barred from entering Gaza, you understand better than most why Israel needs to limit press coverage. While you may try to report on manipulations of the news by Arab militants, ou are fully aware that other reporters do not.
by limiting entry, at it is clear that all reports are from Palestinian sources and do not get the stamp of ‘objectivity’ by being labelled an PA, BBC, Reuters, or even CNN report.
I dont know that this fighting will lead to peace, but the hope is taht it will atleast lead to a prolonged lull (the Lebanese border has been quiet since 2006) and allow for a renewed diplomatic effort with new administrations on their way in the US and Israel.

Anderson –

Thanks for your diligent work in the field. It seems to be what you enjoy most — and we all benefit.

And it’s nice to see you do comedy once in a while. I caught your segment “Pick of the Litter – Puppedential Debate” on the Daily Show with Jon Stewart last night. After an intense 360, I needed the laugh.

Thanks for all you do and stay safe.

There are so many ignorant comments listed here: “I don’t understand the hatred”, “Israel is using disproportionate force”, “Israel is the aggressor”….the list goes on. Its NOT our job to understand the hatred, but its our job to recognize it and deal with it. “Disproportionate force’ – what the heck is that? That’s an oxymoron just like ‘illegal war’.

Where ever you live, if cowards in the neighboring lands fire endless rockets and explosives into your neighborhoods then what exactly would you expect the ‘appropriate response’ to be? Get real…if it were happening to you your attitudes would be severely different.

The only thing the Hamas brought is more suffering to its people. The crisis was caused by the radical and selfish acts of Hamas. For 8 years they have been firing rockets and also kidneped a soldier fro Israeli territory, which was the direct cause of the siege.
The equation is simple No agression=No siege.

Mr cooper
I can only stay totally surprised at how the western media vilify Arabs and Muslims. i just read someone commenting on this page ,that hammas blow up its own civilian population in the two UN schools to create public propaganda !! This is the direct result of years and years of biased and one sided media coverage that vilified Arabs and Muslims in the eyes of simple Americans to the extent of demonization. the pact of human rights simply doesn’t apply to Palestinians, and how can it be if they are simply thought to be demons who blow up their own people.
first of all who broke this truce on the fourth of November when the world was busy watching the American election? who is the occupier and who is the occupied? how many times have America used its veto to protect Israel from worldwide condemnation?
more than any other brutal regime in the word had ever needed. how many massacre are enough for those people to see the truth. when will the American media explain to its audience that Israel is simply occupying Arabic land and is greedy for even more .residents of ghaza now had been mostly forced out of their homes in what is now called Israel ,which wants them now to leave their tiny strip of land so as not to disturb its settlers by their rockets which is compared to the Israeli artillery is just fireworks .

Unlike many of the armchair commandos on here who are trying to preach morality to Israelis I have lived in Israel and visit often. I have been to the north and see the destruction caused by the missiles launched in 2006 from Lebanon. I have been to the spots that have that been scenes of terror and carnage. I have family living in Ashkelon who are living in fear. So please save me the lecture about Israel. Unless you have been there you have no clue or understanding of the situation. You simply formulate your baseless attitude of Israel on 30 second sound bites from the media.
Israel is not perfect by no stretch of the imagination. However one thing I can say it values life more than Hamas and other Palestinian terror group. Its unfortunate and sad that innocent Palestinian are dying and suffering. If they have sensible and human leadership who seriously want peace then they would not be in this predicament.
The majority of the deaths are hamas militants and I wish Anderson you and the other journalists would make this clear and not lump all the deaths as one. Its misleading to your viewers.
I cant think of any other country that allows more freedom of press in regards to such conflicts. America has had much censorship in Iraq. You dont see any destruction or dead bodies caused by American soldiers.

To Jim in Florida, your comment ‘There will never be peace in the Middle East until the Arabs love their children more than they hate the Jews.’ is out right racist. I suggest you educate yourself and refrain from dangrous statements like that.

Shameful.

Anderson,

I enjoy watching you all the time, your a straight up kinda guy that speaks from the heart and shows what you feel. But I feel you are being one sided with the Israelis and thats not fair, knowing really whats going on there ,yet your not speaking to the world what you truly see, dissappoints me. Human Life is being killed everyday, and the last time I checked there were more Palestinians being killed. Tell exactly what you see, you are our eyes…….

I’ve read about the censorship Israel is placing on coverage of what going on up in the front line, and it sounds very much like what authoritarian government (China comes to mind) do. The US government supports authoritarian governments? I guess not when it’s against their vested interest.

If Israel, or the World for that matter, does not consider Hamas a diplomatic entity, why then are the civilian casualties being blamed on Hamas’ actions – as if they’re the government in control. Hamas is a terrorist organization – responsible for no one but itself alone. The people of Gaza (mostly refugees) are a people without a government (no matter what the outcome of a general election). Why hold them accountable for others’ actions? Didn’t 9/11 prove the same – as terrorists held us Americans accountable for the ill-fated diplomatic ambitions of the United States.

If the United States were to infiltrate Al-Qaeda by launching an all out attack on an isolated and forgotten populace, the world would react with condemnation. How unjust is it for a military power of Israel’s stature to attack a bunch of rock throwers. You want vengence for the rockets fired on your country, single out the bad guys from the good ones and go after them with all your might. Israel should use its military aptitude to conquer fear, not spread it!

Let the children be, so they can dream of a brighter future instead of facing the hell they live in now. A little bit of mercy goes a long way!!

Shame on Israel!
Be safe out there Coop!

Eric – I can only assume that if all your lands were taken to pay for another’s crimes that you would just accept that yourself and your family are destined to spend the rest of your days in a quasi-refugee camp (wouldn’t want to fight against the injustice lest you be branded a terrorist) As for the “terrorists” hiding among the “civilians” – did it ever occur to you that the only difference between a terrorist and a civilian lies in the degree of their acceptance of their displacement; or that the so-called terrorists have families to go home to each night?

Great coverage but I wish you would get home and report from here. Tell also about the genocide in Darfur, Congo, Zimbawe and Burma where the crimes are escalating. The world and all the hurting need your reporting but you need to be safe.

OK, seeing some of the comments regarding the disparity of deaths on either side, this time I’ll put in my own analogy. As I explained to my neighbor a couple nights ago, after he voiced the same concerns, if 5 people walked into your house and shot one of your daughters, what would occur next? I’m biased to a certain point in this conflict, and the rocket attacks that Hamas has engaged in are an inept way to attain thier goals while Israel could review the heavy handed practices they employ with regard to selective targeting. Modern weapons aren’t an assurance of no error.
I also take exception to understanding the history of the region. The history of Palestinians and Israel have been linked for centuries and have been both friends and enemies. The differences between the cultures haven’t always been as clear cut as the current proponents would have you think. To list specifics on this topic would take a book and I’m long winded enough. Might be nice if both sides would sit down and review thier own past and try to ponder a future that holds a promise for both.

It is time to let UN and Security Council takes its course and pass some fair resolutions as it fits, without us vetoing it.

Let UN and neutral world parties (with some dignity and justice) objectively take some actions to stop this 21st century disgrace to humanity.

When the action and reaction story end???it is only the innocent people were killed, why kids and young have to pay the price, look at the Israeli soldiers and the Palestinian victims, they share one thing, they are young and their family in deep grieve, why the whole world kept blaming instead of taking strong action on both parties to stop the violence from both parties, it is a black history for UN for not being firm on both sides and not taking immediate action to stop the mess, it is really a pain.

Good coverage. Hamas is doing what they do best, manipulating the situation and using every woman and child killed to their advantage.

If Hamas was not storing arms and shooting rockets from apartment buildings, schools, mosques and public buildings, all in the most densely populated areas of Gaza, Israel wouldn’t have to shoot there and sadly, unintentionally kill these innocent bystanders.

If Hamas did not send rockets, missles and suicide bombers throughout Israel – and now their rhetoric is encouraging their peaceful minions to target Jewish targets throughout the world – there would be no blockade, no fences, no walls and no restrictions on their movements throughout the area.

What would have happened if in 1948, the Palestinians had, as Israel did, devote their time to creating a prosperous country for their population? Instead their efforts went to the purchase of arms and attacking Israel for 60 YEARS!!! Where are they today? An impoverished third world people. Sad, very very sad.

A lot of people blame the people of Gaza for allowing Hamas to operate. I would like to ask “how do these people get rid of these terrorist?” It’s not like the average Gaza Joe has any recourse by calling the local police, or by taking up arms against Hamas. They are as much prisoners of Hamas as the are of Israel. And God knows the USA won’t stand up for them. They are pretty much screwed.

If only you were James Bond with a mini camera in your bow tie sneaking through the border crossing like a ghost! Then we could really see what was happening.

This is a frustrating situation and it must be even more frustrating to be a reporter just outside the front lines incapable of getting a straight answer. Both sides are feeding you what they want you to believe. What’s the truth.

The truth is both sides are completely in the wrong. Israel has been holding the people of Gaza under siege for years, yet Hamas shouldn’t be firing rockets at civilians. The only solution is diplomatic, yet I don’t see Israel being willing to give up control of the region. As long as they don’t, another group will rise up from the grassroots to fire more missiles.

Meanwhile hundreds of innocents die. It is sad.

Anderson,

I applaud you for flying to the war zone (or at least close to it).

Words cannot describe what is going on in Gaza.

Human tragedy and massive loss of life is the main story.

So is the fact that Israel is perpetrating violence that is completely disproportionate and without any regard to civilian lives. It is inhuman and barbarous.

I am very angry that my tax dollars and my government are enabling this tragedy.

When will we have the courage to stand up and say to apologists of these crimes – enough is enough!!!

Keep up the great work Anderson and stay safe! Your unbiased reports are a breath of fresh air amidst many many other reports that I have read which have a certain pro-hamas air to them.

Hamas is playing the world and the media by filtering news that strictly reports the plight of unfortunate civilians caught in the crossfire. Rarely heard are the stories of Hamas executing numerous Fatah members (in a hospital even), a separate hospital for wounded militants creating the notion that many casualties are civilian, attacking the IDF from civilian structures which leads to stories of mosques and schools being attacked, and even removing Hamas related articles of clothing so when the bodies are picked up they are “civilian.” There is a reason for everything, no one simply chooses to attack civilians at will, military members are humans also.

Amazing how these events (and more) are underreported and ignored. Likewise are premature conclusions that various uneducated media sources and observers jump to regarding war, including the notion that the IDF are using banned white phosphorous or “cluster bombs” (which by the way makes no sense if Israel is sending its own troops into the area afterward). Additionally, those who complain of overuse or disproportionality of force need to research the term Shock and Awe. The IDF are no joke, given Hamas’ tactics of human shields and etc and the pop. density of Gaza they are in reality doing a good (of course not good enough!) job keeping civilian deaths relatively low in respect to historic urban conflicts. Civilian deaths are never acceptable in a time of war, yet will always be the norm for as long as there is a war occurring over populated grounds.

Anyways, it’s great to see someone who’s willing to show both sides of a story and not simply root for the underdog. Keep it up!

Of course the Israelis won’t let you into Gaza to film their barbarity but they’re more than glad to show you some Holocaust films….more of “controlling the message”

Some very good points you made.
Kind of sad that other journalists don’t do what you do.
As much as I feel sorry that you can’t enter Gaza, I can understand why Israel is procastinating after in 2006 their ‘no rules for journalists’ allowed Al Jazeera to deliberately broadcast Israeli troop positions- a huge mistake.

This Israeli operation will leave emotional scars on the Palestinian for generations to come, and the detrimental effect on the Jewish State may not be felt today, but rest assure it will eventually. You could argue whatever point you want but the facts remain: Israel is an occupying force, and the Palestinians are fighting for something worthy of the sacrifice.
Go ahead. Make their Day. Because it is coming.

Anderson,

I first had the privaledge of watching you during the Katrina coverage, and when you called Brownie on the heck of a job he wasn’t doing, you made a loyal fan.

Again, I appreciate that you do not just say what they tell you to do. I am sure this conflict is much worse than we see back in the states, and I am glad that we have at least one reporter on the scene that will give us that actual scoop.

This conflict is horrible, and both sides are in the wrong. I am also tired of the US automatically taking the side of Isreal. Both sides are wrong. This conflict is just plain wrong. And sending pamplets that say to get out, then blocking the borders preventing them to flee, is nothing short of murder.

We have our own problems. I say NO MONEY FOR ANY OF THEM. We are struggling at home, and yet we keep sending blank checks to these fanatics. It way past time for the US to focus on the US, and let the middle east work out their own problems. I would bet that when the US money stops, so will these conflicts.

AC,

Would you please try to figure out the real story on the humanitarian shipments? Many reports, including some people personally known to me, have reported shortages of food and medicine in Gaza. This was supposedly present before this latest attack. This is supposed to be the reason that Hamas continued to attack Israel. Also, Hamas said that Israel went into Gaza and arrested people and shot rockets into a border zone, even during the ceasefire.

Israel says that there is plenty of food there. The publisher of New Republic says that the World Food Org said not to send more food and no room in storage. The people don’t look starving.

Please try to find out what is really going on:
1. What is the food situation?
2. What is the medicine situation?
3. Did Israel also infringe on the ceasefire, or was it just Hamas, as Israel claims?

we say isreal was sick and tired about their people going in bomb shelters….well, frankly, they are lucky they have them…how about the Palestinians?

and remember
one man’s fighter is another mans freedom fighter

i want to stress this out: Palestinians or Arabs or Muslims do NOT teach their children hatred toward Judaism, on the contrary, we are raised to respect other religions…

Alright, why don’t people understand that when an estimate of over 100 of the 600 dead are women and children, that is by no means ‘most’. Read the article before commenting.

Yes it is terrible children are dying, but it is more terrible that men would wage war on a nation and then hide behind these children in fear of retaliation. If Israel doesn’t act it is their own civilians who suffer.

Anderson,

To what extent will this war improve the options for peace in the region?

Beyond the immediate nature of war, and its horrific consequences, what are the long term implications of the emerging events in Gaza…for all of us in this interconnected and global theatre.

Phil

I’m really sick of war inthe middle east.
It’s time to end it.

You do that by doing just what is being done right now.
Turn the sand to glass wherever some lunactics decide to throw bombs at another. doesn’t matter who they are. Eliminate them.

I would like to bring up a painful memory: Do we remember September 11, 2001? Was there provocation by the US to bring on the terror acts of that day? I doubt it. Some cultures, though, are so immersed in violent behavior that we cannot understand it. Those cultures ARE different from ours, and their “reasons” for attacking and killing other people are incomprehensible to us. Does Hamas have a valid reason for firing rockets into Israel, on civilian targets, or for wanting the complete and utter destruction of Israel? I think the answer is cultural in nature. After constant provocation by Hamas – forcing a million Israelis to live in constant uncertainty (will my child be killed in school today from a Hamas rocket? Will my house be damaged today?) the Israelis are saying “enough”. Hamas is playing the victim, when in fact they are the perpetrators of this conflict. THANK YOU FOR A GREAT ARTICLE!

i believe, according to an article in an Spanish newspaper, the goverments should not support Israel to attack Gaza. i can imagine how hard should it be for journalist to cover all the news in this countries, i really would like to be a covering some of this wars. i like the program in this far away places. i woul like to cover this with pictures. Yes, i want to cover this side in real pictures.

I heard on a French news channel (France 24) that inspite of a Isreali Supreme Court ruling in favor of allowing the intl press into Gaza, they still cannot get in.

Also, one of their reporters has managed to somehow get into Gaza.
He is Middle Eastern himself, that may be why he was able to “blend in” , I am not sure as they don’t give any explanation on how he managed to get in.

Anyway, in case anyone is interested, that reporter showed footage of families fleeing their homes and they are very panicked and screaming at the top of their lungs: “None of us will surive”. They are also screaming that: ” There are BURNED BODIES everywhere on the streets and that DOGS ARE EATING THEM” and “We tripped on burned bodies, children bodies”

People being scared is an understatement. Women and children are crying, they are saying that “Isreal has destroyed us”.