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Scott Bobb
July 27, 2014 6:18 AM
JERUSALEM —
Israeli forces began shelling in the Gaza Strip late Sunday hours after Hamas declared a 24-hour cease-fire. The Israeli government said it was resuming military operations because Palestinian fighters had not observed previous calls for a truce.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told television viewers on the U.S.-based CBS program Face the Nation that Hamas had violated several previous cease-fires by continuing to fire rockets from Gaza into Israel.
 就在哈瑪斯組織宣布停火24小時的幾小時內，以色列軍方開始炮轟(shelling)加薩走廊(the Gaza Strip)。以色列政府表示，之所以會再度執行軍事行動(military operations)是因為巴勒斯坦之前未遵守(observe)對停戰(truce)的約定。 以色列總理在美國的CBS電台節目上表示，哈瑪斯先前已數次違反(violate)停火協定，持續從加薩向以色列發射飛彈(rocket)。
"They violated their own cease-fire and they are firing at us as we speak. So Israel is not obliged and will not let a terrorist organization to decide when it's convenient for them to stop for a moment, rearm and continue firing on our citizens and our people," he said.
The Hamas group that controls Gaza had declared a 24-hour temporary cease-fire, until midday Monday as residents prepared to mark the end of Ramadan, the Muslim month of fasting and atonement.
Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said that in response to the assessment of the United Nations and taking into consideration the condition of our people in Gaza, especially in light of the coming Eid holiday, there was discussion between the factions. He said they have reached an agreement to accept the offer of a 24-hour humanitarian calm, starting from two o'clock Sunday.
哈瑪斯組織發言人表示，回應(in reponse to)聯合國的評估結果與考量加薩人民的處境，尤其是有鑑於(in light of) 開齋節(Eid holidy)即將來臨，他們內部各派系(faction)討論後達到共識(reach an agreement)，願接受24小時的人道(humanitarian)停火的提議，時間從週日二時開始。(編按：開齋節因時區因素，今年是七月28日或29日)
Five cease-fires have been proposed since the fighting began nearly three weeks ago. Except for a 12-hour pause on Saturday, none have been observed by both parties.
Palestinian officials said more than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed and about 6,000 wounded in the conflict, most of them civilians.
Israel says 43 of its soldiers have been killed as well as three civilians.
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged both Israel and the Palestinians "in the strongest terms" to continue the cease-fire and then observe it. He said the violence has "killed too many, marred so many lives and caused such destruction.
Israel launched the operation in Gaza to destroy rocket-launching installations and infiltration tunnels into Israel. The military says more than 30 tunnels have been destroyed.
根據巴勒斯坦官方說法，已有超過一千名的巴勒斯坦人於此軍事衝突(conflict)中死亡，有六千人受傷，而絕大多數是平民(civilian)。以色列方面則表示，已有四十三名士兵和三位平民死亡。 聯合國秘書長(Secretary-General)以「最強硬的措辭」( “in the strongest terms” ) 呼籲以巴雙方繼續並遵守停火協議。他表示，暴力帶來「太多死亡，損害(mar)太多人的生活，造成了如此破壞。」以色列在加薩發動(launch)軍事行動是為了要摧毀火箭發射的裝置(installation)和滲透(infiltration)以色列的地道。以色列軍方聲稱已經催毀了超過三十個密道。
Western diplomats have been trying to negotiate an Egyptian proposal that would allow a one-week cease-fire. But each side has posed conditions that the other side does not appear ready to accept.
Israel wants a demilitarized Gaza, while Hamas says Israel should end its blockade of the enclave and cease all aggression.
西方國家的外交人員(diplomat)一直努力協調雙方接受埃及所提出的停火一週的提議(proposal)，但雙方各再提出對方顯然會無法接受的條件(pose conditions)。以色列想要加薩去軍事化(demilitarized)，但哈瑪斯認為以色列須結束對此飛地(enclave)的封鎖(blockade)，並停止一切侵略行動。
Several thousand Israelis demonstrated in Tel Aviv Saturday night for an end to the fighting.
At the same time, several hundred protestors staged a counter-demonstration nearby in support of the Israeli military operation.
Vocabulary
 shelling (n) 砲擊
cease-fire (n) 停火；停火協議X*這個字是cease 加上 fire組合來的，cease是「停止」的意思
truce (n) 停戰；休戰XXXXX***新聞中 “calls for a truce” 是把call當名詞用，表示雙方之前有做過停戰的「呼籲、宣告」等；把call當動詞，也可和truce作搭配語，call a truce是「宣布停戰」的意思。生活會話時，如果不想再繼續堅持雙方的對立狀態，示好的一方可以說 “Let’s call a truce.” (我們別再吵了吧！)
rocket (n) 飛彈XXXXXXXXXXXrocket常見的意思是航空器的「(火箭型)太空梭」，另外也是本新聞中的「(火箭型)飛彈」，此時同missile (火箭、飛彈)；另外，rocket也是動詞「急速上升」，例：Car sales rocketed from 180 to 2000 a year. (車子銷售量在一年間從180輛急升到兩千輛。)
in light of (prep phr) 有鑑於. . .；因 . . .而. . .(也有in the light of的寫法)
faction (n) 派系；黨內小集體XXcivilian (n) 平民 XXmar (v) 損壞；損傷
launch (v) 發動(活動)；發射(飛彈)XXXXX本新聞中剛好有一句同時使用了launch的兩個意思：”Israel launched the operation in Gaza to destroy rocket-launching installations . . .” 第一個launch是「發動」軍事行動，而第二個launch跟 「飛彈(rocket)」組成複合形容詞，表示「發射飛彈的」
infiltration (n) 滲透
blockade (n) 封鎖
enclave  (n) 飛地(一個國家境內所包含有的另一個國家的領土)
Language Note
Israel (以色列)、Israeli (以色列人、以色列的)
以巴戰事不斷，頻上國際新聞。大家對「以色列」這個國名絕對不陌生，但英文確非常容易拼錯、念錯。
這裡提供Merriam-Webster字典的音檔。讀著們可以多聽幾遍，跟著大聲念出來：
Israel   http://media.merriam-webster.com/soundc11/gg/ggisra01.wav (n) 以色列
Israeli  http://media.merriam-webster.com/soundc11/i/israel03.wav (n)以色列人；(a) 以色列的。
Check your vocabulary!
Fill in the blanks with a word or phrase from the list above. Make necessary changes. After you finish, select the text below to reveal the hidden answers.
1. The two sides called a truce to avoid further bloodshed.
2. The pro-war faction within the party condemned any attempt at negotiation.
3. In light of this tragic event, we have cancelled the celebrations.
4. Heavy artillery and rocket attacks rained down on the camp.
5. The table was marred by cigarette burns.
Source：http://www.voanews.com/content/spokesman-hamas-agrees-to-new-twenty-four-hour-truce-in-gaza/1965970.html
編譯：簡嘉呈
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