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Israeli Forces Move Deeper into Gaza
(Washington Post) William Booth, Sudarsan Raghavan and Ruth Eglash - Capt. Eytan Buchman, an Israeli military spokesman, said Israel had no intention of reoccupying Gaza, and the main objectives of the ground offensive were to destroy Hamas' tunnel network and rocket launchers used to attack Israel. "We've expanded the forces on the ground in order to accomplish that mission. All of Gaza is an underground city, and the amount of infrastructure Hamas built up over the years is immense. There are tunnels, extended bunkers, weapons storage facilities, even within urban areas." Shijaiyah, which bore the brunt of Israeli fire, is located 1 mile away from the border. Residents in Shijaiyah said they had received phone calls warning them that the Israelis were coming into the area. There was also intense firing east of Khan Yunis and by Rafah. "We are encountering significant resistance," Buchman said. "Anti-tank missiles fired from urban areas, as well as light arms fire. The tunnels are a strategic asset. Hamas is not giving up easily."