The following is a summary of the main events of Thursday, 3^rd January, in which nine Palestinian gunmen were hit by IDF forces in the Gaza Strip.  The IDF stepped up its offensive against Islamic Jihad rocket squads in the Gaza Strip, as the consequence of the long-range Katyusha rocket that struck northern Ashkelon for the first time. It is always a tragedy when civilians, soldiers or even terrorists are killed on both the Israeli and the Palestinian side. Regarding the events which took place in Gaza at the beginning of January 2008, few aspects are worth being clarified in order to have a wider perspective as well as a comprehensive approach when considering the tragic events taking place in the region.