VOA慢速英语2014 加沙停火谈判失败 一名以色列士兵疑似被俘

 

AS IT IS 2014-08-02 Gaza Cease-fire Collapses¹, Israeli Soldier Believed Captured 加沙停火谈判失败 一名以色列士兵疑似被俘

The Israeli military says one of its soldiers has been captured by Hamas militants² in the Gaza Strip.  That is where a temporary cease-fire collapsed³ not long after it began on Friday. 

Israel Defense⁴ Forces said 23-three-year-old Second Lieutenant⁵ Hadar Goldin went missing in the southern city of Rafah around 9:30 a.m. local time. That was about 90 minutes after the humanitarian⁶ truce⁷ between Israel and Hamas took effect. 

The soldier’s condition was unknown. Two other Israeli troops died during an operation to find and destroy one of the tunnels – underground passageways -- that Hamas uses to enter Israel. The Israeli military says a firefight began with Hamas militants. A suicide bombing also took place. Several Palestinians were killed. 

The Israeli military started shelling the southern Gaza Strip shortly after the attack. Local officials say at least 35 Palestinians were killed. Hamas militants also renewed its firing of rockets into southern Israel.

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu released a statement.  It blamed Gaza militants for violating what was supposed to be a three-day cease-fire. The Israeli military said the cease-fire is officially over.

Robert Serry is a United Nations special official for the Middle East peace process.  He said it would be a serious violation⁸ of the cease-fire if reports of the tunnel attack by the Gazan militants are true.

Josh Earnest serves as official spokesman for American president Barack Obama. The spokesman said the missing Israeli soldier should be returned immediately. He also said the Obama Administration condemns⁹ the violation of the cease-fire agreement.  Mr. Earnest added that those who could influence the military organization of Hamas should pressure it to end the fighting.

Delegations¹⁰ from Israel and the Palestinians were expected to discuss the fighting between Israel and Hamas in Cairo. US officials were also to join the negotiations¹¹.  But the French news agency AFP reported that Egyptian diplomats¹² say the talks have been delayed.

Israeli leaders want Hamas to disarm¹³ its military. Hamas militants have sent thousands of rockets into Israeli territory in recent weeks. The Islamist group wants an end to Israel’s restrictions¹⁴ on Gaza. Hamas says Israel has prevented the people of Gaza from traveling out of the area.

Before the cease-fire took effect Friday, Gaza police reported heavy gunfire from Israeli tanks in northern and eastern Gaza. The loud exchange of fire between Israeli troops and militants was heard throughout Gaza City. Tank shells landed on homes in the city. Gaza police said Hamas fighters hit an Israeli tank with an anti-tank missile. The police also said the Hamas fighters attacked Israeli troops who came to rescue the tank crew. Police officials said fighting continued into the early morning hours.

More than 1,400 Palestinians have died in the last four weeks of fighting.  Most of those killed were civilians¹⁵. Three Israeli civilians and 61 Israeli soldiers have also died.

1 collapses   

折叠( collapse的第三人称单数 )； 倒塌； 崩溃； （尤指工作劳累后）坐下

参考例句：

• This bridge table collapses. 这张桥牌桌子能折叠。
• Once Russia collapses, the last chance to stop Hitler will be gone. 一旦俄国垮台，抑止希特勒的最后机会就没有了。

2 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

3 collapsed   

adj.倒塌的

参考例句：

• Jack collapsed in agony on the floor. 杰克十分痛苦地瘫倒在地板上。
• The roof collapsed under the weight of snow. 房顶在雪的重压下突然坍塌下来。

4 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

5 lieutenant   

n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员

参考例句：

• He was promoted to be a lieutenant in the army.他被提升为陆军中尉。
• He prevailed on the lieutenant to send in a short note.他说动那个副官，递上了一张简短的便条进去。

6 humanitarian   

n.人道主义者，博爱者，基督凡人论者

参考例句：

• She has many humanitarian interests and contributes a lot to them.她拥有很多慈善事业，并作了很大的贡献。
• The British government has now suspended humanitarian aid to the area.英国政府现已暂停对这一地区的人道主义援助。

7 truce   

n.休战，(争执，烦恼等的)缓和；v.以停战结束

参考例句：

• The hot weather gave the old man a truce from rheumatism.热天使这位老人暂时免受风湿病之苦。
• She had thought of flying out to breathe the fresh air in an interval of truce.她想跑出去呼吸一下休战期间的新鲜空气。

8 violation   

n.违反(行为)，违背(行为)，侵犯

参考例句：

• He roared that was a violation of the rules.他大声说，那是违反规则的。
• He was fined 200 dollars for violation of traffic regulation.他因违反交通规则被罚款200美元。

9 condemns   

v.（通常因道义上的原因而）谴责( condemn的第三人称单数 )；宣判；宣布…不能使用；迫使…陷于不幸的境地

参考例句：

• Her widowhood condemns her to a lonely old age. 守寡使她不得不过着孤独的晚年生活。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The public opinion condemns prostitution. 公众舆论遣责卖淫。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

10 delegations   

n.代表团( delegation的名词复数 )；委托，委派

参考例句：

• In the past 15 years, China has sent 280 women delegations abroad. 十五年来，中国共派280批妇女代表团出访。 来自汉英非文学 - 白皮书
• The Sun Ray decision follows the federal pattern of tolerating broad delegations but insisting on safeguards. “阳光”案的判决仿效联邦容许广泛授权的做法，但又坚持保护措施。 来自英汉非文学 - 行政法

11 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

12 diplomats   

n.外交官( diplomat的名词复数 )；有手腕的人，善于交际的人

参考例句：

• These events led to the expulsion of senior diplomats from the country. 这些事件导致一些高级外交官被驱逐出境。
• The court has no jurisdiction over foreign diplomats living in this country. 法院对驻本国的外交官无裁判权。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 disarm   

v.解除武装，回复平常的编制，缓和

参考例句：

• The world has waited 12 years for Iraq to disarm. 全世界等待伊拉克解除武装已有12年之久。
• He has rejected every peaceful opportunity offered to him to disarm.他已经拒绝了所有能和平缴械的机会。

14 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

15 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。