Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/egyptian-ambassador-offers-views-on-gaza-violence Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Transcript Israel continued airstrikes on Hamas targets in Gaza Tuesday, indicating its intention to launch further attacks in the coming days. Egyptian ambassador Sameh Shoukry discusses his country's role in the crisis and his government's controversial decision to keep Egypt's border posts with Gaza closed. Read the Full Transcript Notice: Transcripts are machine and human generated and lightly edited for accuracy. They may contain errors. RAY SUAREZ: We now go to a three-part look at the war in Gaza. We start with a report from Lindsey Hilsum of Independent Television News. LINDSEY HILSUM: Living in the rubble, so much destruction now, and the people of Gaza just trying to survive. Sixteen bombs have destroyed five government ministries and many neighboring buildings. A Hamas sports center was hit overnight and the headquarters of the Hamas armed brigades.Empty pumps. It's nearly two weeks since petrol was brought in through the tunnels from Egypt. And this morning, the power station was turned off because it had no fuel.People queued for bread, but today Hamas told Channel 4 News that it will hold out.TAHER NOONOO, Hamas government spokesman: We didn't speak about cease-fire now. We call all the leaders in the international community and the Arab leaders to first stop this aggression, and then we can speak about cease-fire, about truce, about anything later. But the first thing, we want to stop this aggression against our people. LINDSEY HILSUM: Israeli troops are massing at the Gaza border. This is the moment when the Israeli government may call a temporary cease-fire or start a ground war.The Israelis are soon going to run out of targets they can hit from the air, but it's a serious decision to send in the ground forces. Hamas says it's laid land mines, and there are men waiting to fight in Gaza.Hanging across these young soldiers, the shadow of the badly fought war in Lebanon two years ago. Its conduct was criticized by the Winograd committee whose members hope the Israeli government will not repeat those mistakes in this operation, known as Cast Lead. YEHEZKEL DROR, Winograd Committee: The air force was not decisive in Lebanon. Too it cannot be decisive in Cast Lead campaign, unless you go and use it as a bargaining chip. If you want to hit Hamas harder, you have to move in its land forces, which is a serious decision. LINDSEY HILSUM: At Gaza's Shifa Hospital, ambulances discharged casualties all the time. The corridors are filled with those who'd be regarded as seriously injured anywhere else.Power comes and goes. The windows are kept open so the bombing doesn't shatter them. Flies get into the intensive care unit.Eighteen-year-old Islam Usruf was walking in the street when the first bombs hit. He has a serious head injury which can't be treated in Gaza. DR. KAMAL ABU ABADA, Shifa Hospital: If he stayed more than one day or two, he may die or have complications. LINDSEY HILSUM: He's taken to the ambulance to be transferred over the border to Egypt and hopefully Saudi Arabia, but his family doubts he'll survive. HAMADA USRUF: I know that. That's my brother. He won't come back alive. LINDSEY HILSUM: Maybe he'll make it; maybe he won't. Another casualty of a war which becomes more cruel by the day.