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IDF officer: 'It will take many years to restore' bomb-wracked Gaza By Amos Harel Tags: Hamas, Gaza, Israel  The strategy of the Israel Defense Forces is to utilize tremendous firepower in order to protect the ground forces during the fighting in built-up areas, a senior officer explained to journalists yesterday. Speaking to the media through a secure telephone, the officer stressed that "from our point of view, being careful means being aggressive." The officer acknowledged that the ground offensive is causing a great deal of damage, not only to Hamas, but also against civilian infrastructure. "It will take many years in order to restore this area to what it was before," he said. "When we suspect that a Palestinian fighter is hiding in a house, we shoot it with a missile and then with two tank shells, and then a bulldozer hits the wall. It causes damage but it prevents the loss of life among soldiers." The officer said that his forces were expected to complete the clearing of the area they were assigned by today. He emphasized that his forces "entered the Gaza Strip like in a war and not a routine security operation. Hamas has avoided confronting us directly because of the firepower that was used when we went in. It had an initial shock effect and broke down orderly resistance. We do not see battalion- or company-size units fighting against us, but much smaller pockets of resistance." The soldiers are now busy with searching tunnels and homes. In many homes, usually those belonging to active Hamas members, escape tunnels were uncovered, as well as large quantities of military equipment. In addition to small arms, the soldiers found anti-tank missiles, large explosive devices and even dirt bikes, which were most likely intended for use in attempts to abduct IDF soldiers. The same senior officer said that in the areas where his troops were operating, the civilians are fleeing. "We saw homes where the meals were left uneaten. We see columns of women and children with white flags, and of course we let them pass toward Gaza City. On the other hand, every two hours there are intelligence warnings about a female suicide bomber in the area, so most of the soldiers also regard a convoy of civilians as a real threat." From the field, officers are reporting that Hamas is preparing for a long-term struggle. In one area, soldiers spent the night in a building only to find the next day that an explosive device had been laid in the structure next door, designed to be set off by the troops tripping a wire. In another case, soldiers found explosive devices hidden behind a piano, while in other instances, troops shot and killed would-be suicide bombers - whose corpses were laden with explosives. Much of the ground offensive is concentrating on the northern portions of the Strip, in areas where rockets are fired against Be'er Sheva, Ashdod and Yavne. The presence of IDF forces in the area has already affected the launch of longer-range rockets from the area. The senior officer told the press that the cooperation between the ground forces and the air force has been exemplary. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Humanitarian initiative There is a way for Israel to prove it is committed to universal moral values. Top Targets An Islamist site is compiling a list of U.K. Jews to target over Gaza op.   1.   Hamas will restore the damage it caused... 06:29  |  Johann 07/01/09   2.   Superb IDF forces 08:01  |  marat 07/01/09   3.   send the bill to Iran 08:37  |  adrien 07/01/09   4.   Would this new radar make the difference ? 08:40  |  Jean Van Daem 07/01/09   5.   Why is that something to gloat about? 11:47  |  Mushma Oule 07/01/09   6.   Ist´n that real nonsense: "..even dirt bikes... 11:55  |  Jew- and Bookburner 07/01/09   7.   Israel should have NEVER left Gaza considering wherever 16:05  |  Ben 07/01/09

Read & React Bradley Burston / A Jew's prayer for the children of Gaza Responses: 52 IDF: Shelled UN school in Gaza used as hideout by Hamas Responses: 100 ANALYSIS / Using aggressive tactics in Gaza to save soldiers' lives Responses: 23 Venezuela's Chavez: Gaza operation is a Palestinian 'holocaust' Responses: 26 Amira Hass: Lucky my parents aren't alive to see Israel bomb Gaza Responses: 40 More Headlines 23:29 Israel bombs south Gaza tunnels, tells local residents to flee 01:09 Barak: If cease-fire deal doesn't meet Israel's demands, Gaza operation will continue 21:55 Clashes resume in Gaza City after 3-hour humanitarian truce 22:58 Rice: Gaza truce needed, but must not allow return to 'status quo ante' 18:30 Defense sources: Even if Hamas agrees to truce, its armed wing may resist 23:37 25 Gaza rockets strike Negev over course of Wednesday 21:27 Obama vows to 'engage immediately' on Mideast once inaugurated 12:57 A Jew's prayer for the children of Gaza 18:20 Get up to the minute coverage of the warfare in Gaza directly to your email 11:35 ANALYSIS / Israel must double, triple, quadruple its medical aid to Gaza 14:34 Report: Islamist site compiling list of U.K. Jews to target over Gaza op 20:40 In battle for public opinion, IDF Web site puts female face forward 16:14 Israel defers vote on expanding Gaza ground op amid growing truce bids 22:00 Joe the Plumber named conservative Web site's war correspondent in Israel 14:53 Nasrallah: Hezbollah will make Lebanon war look like 'a walk in the park' 01:51 German court rules Nazi hit man unfit to stand trial 01:24 IDF reserve forces receive fictitious calls for duty in Gaza 21:35 WATCH: Former Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Zalman Shoval on Gaza conflict 21:33 U.S. rabbi raises $100,000 to buy care packages for IDF troops in Gaza 14:19 Amira Hass / 86 hours after Gaza home shelled, family still lacks medical aid Previous Editions Select Day 07 jan 06 jan 05 jan 04 jan 02 jan 01 jan 31 dec 30 dec 29 dec 28 dec 26 dec 25 dec

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