Subscribe to Print Edition | Tue., December 30, 2008 Tevet 3, 5769 | | Israel Time: 02:16 (EST+7)   Back to Homepage web haaretz.com Haaretz Toolbar Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Car Rental Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate Joy of Giving Travel Week's End Anglo File

IDF ground forces gather on Gaza border; cabinet approves call-up of 6,700 reservists By Amos Harel, Barak Ravid and Avi Issacharoff The Israel Defense Forces massed troops near the Gaza border yesterday in preparation for a possible ground operation against Hamas. In parallel, the cabinet approved a relatively small call-up of the reserves - some 6,700 soldiers - in case they are needed for the operation. Defense sources said, however, that additional reservists may be called up as the fighting continues. Advertisement By comparison, only a few thousand reservists were called up in the first days of the Second Lebanon War in 2006. By the end of the war, however, some 62,000 reservists had been called up. The air force struck more than 100 targets yesterday, the second day of Israel's aerial bombardment of Gaza. According to Palestinian sources, the bombings killed 43 people, bringing the death toll for the two-day operation to 294. Among the targets were 40 smuggling tunnels under the Gaza-Egypt border, which Israel bombed in an effort to shut down Hamas' main conduit for arms. That operation took exactly four minutes. Most of the targets, however, were in Gaza City, including Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh's office and the offices of various Palestinian security services. The air force also hit several targets in northern Gaza, the main launching pad for Palestinian rocket strikes on Israel. Palestinians fired about 30 rockets at Israel yesterday, bringing the number of rockets and mortars fired at the country over the last two days to about 150. That is far fewer than the army had predicted, though defense sources expect the number to increase in the coming days. For the first time, however, yesterday's launches included two enhanced Katyusha rockets with a 40-kilometer range. Both landed near Ashdod. Due to the fighting, southern Israel resembled a ghost town yesterday. The only vehicles on the roads belonged to journalists, the police and, mainly, the army. Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni told the foreign media that Israel does not seek to reoccupy Gaza, and government sources said the Foreign Ministry is already working on an exit strategy - though this strategy would not involve stationing an international force in Gaza. Israel also promised representatives of international aid organizations that it would continue allowing humanitarian aid into Gaza even as the fighting continued. Yesterday, for instance, the Kerem Shalom crossing was opened to let through 26 trucks carrying food and medical equipment. Also yesterday, Hamas threatened to respond to the assault on Gaza by assassinating senior Israeli officials. Senior Hamas official Fatah Hamad specifically threatened Livni and Defense Minister Ehud Barak. He also threatened that Hamas would go after senior Palestinian Authority officials in the West Bank, as well as "those in the Arab world who have conspired against us" - apparently a reference to Egypt. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Army of martyrs Iran clerics enlist volunteers to fight 'Zionist regime' in Gaza. New anti-Semitism Greek paper: World Jewish plutocracy behind Gaza strife, global financial crisis.

Read & React Two Israelis die as rockets fired from Gaza hit south Responses: 126 Bradley Burston: Who speaks for Gazans, when they need it most? Responses: 90 Tom Segev: Trying to 'teach Hamas a lesson' is wrong Responses: 132 Amira Hass: 'Gaza strike is against all Palestinians' Responses: 78 Greek paper: World Jewish plutocracy behind Gaza strife, global financial crisis Responses: 45 Why hasn't Hamas responded to Gaza strikes with greater force? Responses: 26 More Headlines 01:33 Rockets fired from Gaza kill 2 Israelis within hour 01:59 Israel targets senior Hamas, Islamic Jihad commanders in fresh Gaza strikes 21:15 Barak: We'll use every resource to stop 'criminal' rocket fire from Gaza 20:20 Hezbollah: Defending Gaza means offering blood of martyrs 01:42 U.S.: Hamas must halt rocket fire at Israel, agree to lasting truce 23:09 Man hurt in Palestinian stabbing attack at West Bank settlement 23:23 WATCH: Israel's attack on Gaza from the missiles' point of view 16:50 IN PICTURES / Firestorm over Gaza 13:02 Top PA negotiator: No peace talks with Israel during Gaza assault 01:48 VIDEO / Egyptian paper: Hamas leaders partially responsible for Gaza assault 08:19 In response to Gaza raids, Hamas threatens to assassinate Livni, Barak 12:07 Gaza War Diary II - Who speaks for the Gazans? 15:41 Greek paper: World Jewish plutocracy behind Gaza strife, global financial crisis 12:28 Report: Captive IDF soldier Shalit wounded in Gaza air strikes 12:11 Iran clerics enlist volunteers to fight 'Zionist regime' in Gaza 07:41 Why hasn't Hamas responded to Gaza strikes with greater force? Previous Editions Select Day 29 dec 28 dec 26 dec 25 dec 24 dec 23 dec 22 dec 21 dec 19 dec 18 dec 17 dec 16 dec

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