On Jan. 6, Israeli aircraft and main battle tanks struck Hamas and
Islamic Jihad targets in Gaza City and Khan Yunis. But infantry forces
stayed away from both cities amid orders by the government to avoid an urban
war with Hamas.
"Hamas is ready for us in their cities, and we don't want to fall into
their trap," the senior officer said. "Instead, we are trying to draw them
out of
their strongholds."
At this point, the military has been deployed on the outskirts of Gaza
City and Khan Yunis. At least five soldiers have been killed in a 24-hour
period, several of them by friendly fire.
"We can't remain in one place and not expect to take casualties," a
field officer said.
The military sources said senior commanders were expecting orders to
reduce activity in the Gaza Strip by Jan. 9. They cited Western and Arab
efforts to draft a ceasefire resolution in the United Nations Security
Council.
An Egyptian proposal endorsed by the United States has called for an
immediate ceasefire and the end of the Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip.
France has demanded an Israeli response to the Egyptian proposal on Jan. 7,
and the Cabinet was scheduled to convene during the day.
"Under no circumstances will we agree to a new calm that will allow them
[Hamas] to increase their range to 60 kilometers so we have rockets falling
on the outskirts of Tel Aviv," Mark Regev, a spokesman for Prime Minister
Ehud Olmert, said.
