CRI听力:Israel-Gaza Tensions Continue with More Casualties

It's been a week since the Israeli military began its Operation Protective Edge in the Gaza Strip.

The large-scale assault on the region has already left more than 170 Palestinians dead and over 12-hundred others injured.

It's also creating internal refugee problems.

CRI's Su Yi has more.

Israel's intensive strikes have forced thousands of Palestinians to flee the northern Gaza Strip and seek refuge in UN facilities.

Adnan Abu Hanse with the UN's Relief and Works Agency in Gaza says their facilities in the region, which can play host to around 35-thousand people, are starting to fill up quickly.

"The number of people who fled the northern area is about 17,000 people. We opened 20 shelters in our schools for them. If there would be a ground operation, I'm sure the number will be increasing. They are very disappointed, very frustrated and very angry. They don't know what to do. They left everything behind them and they came inside the city. It looks like being refugees again for all the time. It's very horrible."

At the same time, rockets continue to be launched from Gaza into Israel.

Over a thousand rockets have been fired into Israel this past week, forcing Israelis to be on constant watch.

Ravit Lowe lives in southern Israeli city of Ashkelon, 7 kilometers from Gaza.

She says she simply wants the violence to end as soon as possible.

"We know it's not the people of Gaza who are our enemies. They are held hostage just like all of us here. Children should not grow up like this anywhere, and mothers should not have to calm their children all the time and worry about the next time this comes along."

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has been calling for the United Nations to put the state of Palestine under "international protection."

The Palestinians and other Arab states are planning to call for a UN Security Council vote this week on a resolution calling for a cease-fire in Gaza.

Meanwhile, the Israeli military continues to plan new operations.

Spokesperson Peter Lerner says this may also include the use of ground forces in Gaza.

"And the ground force operation, which will be the last necessity, will be utilized only if absolutely required. There is no time limit to our operation. The IDF is operating under the understanding that it is a gradual mission and the pressure on Hamas will increase every day."

The last time Israeli ground forces entered Gaza was 2012.

That only ended after an Egyptian-brokered cease-fire was put in-place.

The new Egyptian government has also put out a proposal for a ceasefire this time.

It's unclear at this point whether either side will heed the call.

For CRI, I'm Su Yi.