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                  Israel Makes First Ground Incursion in Gaza

   by VOA News

   Israel has carried out its first ground operation against Hamas
   militants in the Gaza Strip since launching an offensive against the
   militants last week.

   Officials say Israeli commandos targeted a rocket-launching site Sunday
   during the brief raid.  Authorities say four Israeli soldiers were
   slightly wounded during an exchange of gunfire with Palestinian
   fighters.

   Israel also continued its airstrikes targeting areas across Gaza
   Sunday, ignoring international appeals for a cease-fire as the conflict
   entered its sixth day.

   The heavy overnight onslaught in northern Gaza caused thousands of
   Palestinians to flee the area, hoping to find safe housing further
   south in the small enclave.  Many foreign nationals and Palestinians
   with duel nationalities were leaving the Gaza Strip completely on
   Sunday.

   ''The Israeli military had warned Palestinians living in northern Gaza
   to evacuate for their own safety as airstrikes would intensify.

   Late Saturday, an Israel strike flattened the home of the Gaza police
   chief, killing 18 people in the deadliest attack since Israel launched
   its offensive on Gaza Tuesday. The strike also badly damaged a nearby
   mosque, wounding scores of people.

   An earlier airstrike Saturday targeted a mosque where Israel says
   Palestinian militants stored weapons.  Another attack hit a center for
   the disabled, killing two people and wounding at least three others.

   Palestinian officials say the death toll from Israel's offensive has
   risen to more than 150 with Israel continuing to strike sites believed
   to be strategic to Hamas and other militant groups.  Reports from Gaza
   say most of the people killed have been civilians.

   Hamas and other militants have fired hundreds of rockets at Israel.
   But Israel says no Israelis have been killed, largely due to its rocket
   interceptor system - the partly U.S.-funded Iron Dome.

   So far, neither Israel nor Gaza's Hamas rulers have signaled a
   willingness to stop.

   The U.N. Security Council called Saturday for a cease-fire in the
   Israeli-Palestinian conflict and a reinstitution of a 2012
   Egyptian-brokered cease-fire between the two sides.

   In addition to its air offensive, Israel has been considering launching
   a ground invasion in Gaza to quell the cross-border rocket attacks.

   Some information for this report was provided by AFP.
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References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/israel-makes-first-ground-incursion-in-gaza/1956454.html