以色列与哈马斯冲突升级

Gaza militants sent dozens of rockets into Israel on Wednesday as Israeli airstrikes killed four Palestinian fighters, in a dangerous escalation of cross-border fighting that began just hours after the end of a landmark visit to the coastal enclave by the emir of Qatar.

加沙地区的武装分子周三向以色列发射了数十枚火箭弹，同时以色列的空袭导致四名巴勒斯坦武装人员丧生，这是巴以边境冲突的危险升级。冲突爆发前几小时，卡塔尔埃米尔刚刚结束了对加沙地区具有重大意义的访问。

The outbreak, which marks the worst hostilities in four months, prompted Egyptian intelligence officials to press Israel, Hamas and Gaza militant groups to cease fire.

此次冲突是巴以间四个月来最严重的敌对行为。冲突促使埃及情报官员向以色列、哈马斯(Hamas)和加沙武装组织施压，要求他们停火。

A Hamas official said a cease-fire was scheduled to go into effect at midnight Thursday, and that Qatar had complained that the Gaza rocket fire erupted so close to the visit.

一位哈马斯官员说，停火定于周四午夜生效。卡塔尔抱怨加沙方面在其埃米尔结束访问后这么短的时间内就发射了火箭弹。

Both sides want to avoid a larger flare-up that could draw Israeli troops into Gaza, like Israel's brief incursion into the territory four years ago that killed more than 1,000 Gazans, 13 Israelis and left billions of dollars of damaged infrastructure. But Israel suggested a willingness for a more extensive fight if pushed.

双方都希望避免更大规模冲突的爆发，如果爆发这种冲突，以色列军队可能进入加沙，就像以色列四年前短暂侵入加沙一样。那次行动导致1,000多名加沙人和13名以色列人死亡，并使加沙的基础设施蒙受了数额达几十亿美元的损失。但以色列暗示，在迫不得已的情况下将会发起更大范围的战争。

The fighting raises questions about whether Qatar's new patronage for Hamas -- including $400 million worth of building projects -- will embolden Gaza's Islamic militant rulers to take a more aggressive stance toward Israel or a more conciliatory one by giving them a greater material stake in stability.

此次冲突的发生使人不禁要问：卡塔尔对哈马斯的新资助（包括价值4亿美元的建筑项目）究竟会起到给加沙伊斯兰武装组织头目壮胆的作用，使其对以色列采取更加激进的立场，还是会鼓励他们对以色列采取较为和解的立场，因为资助项目的落实将增加稳定局面对加沙方面所具有的实际好处。

Gaza's Islamist militant rulers gave a hero's welcome to Sheik Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, the first foreign head of state to visit the enclave since Hamas's 2007 takeover, declaring an end to years of economic and political isolation by the West and Israel.

加沙的伊斯兰武装头目像对待英雄般欢迎卡塔尔埃米尔哈马德·本·哈立法·阿勒萨尼(Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-thani)。他是哈马斯2007年占领加沙后首位访问这处巴勒斯坦“飞地的外国首脑。加沙的伊斯兰武装头目宣称，此访结束了西方和以色列多年来在经济和政治上对加沙的封锁。

The emir's Gaza visit followed two weeks of increased fighting between Hamas and Israel, though both sides held their fire for the foreign visitor. Shortly after he left Gaza, militants unleashed rockets. An Israeli officer was seriously wounded on the border on Monday and several migrant workers were injured in Wednesday's attacks.

卡塔尔埃米尔访问加沙之前，哈马斯和以色列间的冲突出现加剧已有两周时间，不过双方都为卡塔尔埃米尔到访而暂时停火。而在他离去后不久，加沙地区的武装分子就向以色列发射了火箭弹。周一，一名以色列官员在边境受重伤，几位移民工人在周三的袭击中受伤。

The Israel Defense Forces said some 75 rockets and mortars hit Israel on Wednesday, roughly the total fired from Gaza during the three prior months combined. The army said its aircraft targeted four rocket launch squads and a weapons-smuggling tunnel late Tuesday and early Wednesday. Avital Leibovitch, an Israeli army spokeswoman, said a Hamas-affiliated militia sent most of the rocket fire.

以色列国防军(Israel Defense Forces)说，周三有大约75枚火箭弹和炮弹落在以色列境内，差不多是加沙此前三个月所发射炮火的总和。国防军说，周二深夜和周三早间，以色列飞机轰炸了四个火箭弹发射小组和一处武器走私隧道。以色列军方发言人雷波维奇(Avital Leibovitch)说，一个与哈马斯有关的民兵组织发射了大多数火箭弹。

The hostilities prompted Israeli officials to close schools in the region near Gaza and request civilians in some areas to take cover in bomb shelters. Until recently, Israel and Hamas have observed a relative calm that has allowed residents in the region go about their lives. But every several months there is a flare-up, most recently in June.

上述战争行动促使以色列官员关闭了加沙附近地区的学校，并要求一些地区的平民躲进防空洞。直到不久前，以色列和哈马斯还保持了相对平静的态势，该地区居民也得以正常生活。但双方每过几个月就会爆发一次冲突，最近一次是在六月份。

Hamas accused Israel of escalating the hostilities out of frustration over the visit of the Qatari emir.

哈马斯指责以色列因对卡塔尔埃米尔访问加沙感到沮丧而提升了对加沙方面的敌意。

Israeli officials declined to respond to the accusation.

以色列官员拒绝回应上述指责。

The hostilities came as U.S. and Israel began an extensive drill to simulate a joint defense against a massive missile attack.

上述敌对行动发生在美国和以色列就联合防御大规模导弹攻击而开始全面演习之际。