Israel's deputy defense minister says Tel Aviv's large-scale military incursion into the Gaza Strip appears to be nearing its end. "...it would seem that we are close to ending the ground operation and ending the operation altogether," Deputy Defense Minister Matan Vilnai told the Public Radio on Sunday.
Vilnai added the 16-day long offensive, which has so far claimed at least 880 lives and wounded 3,690 others - most of them civilians -, "allowed us to reach objectives that no-one could have dreamed about two weeks ago."
The official claimed that the war against the territory has caused a heavy blow to Hamas movement.
"Regarding the blow to Hamas: they still don't understand what has hit them: they will understand better when they come out of their hiding places."
Earlier in the day Prime Minister Ehud Olmert also said Tel Aviv "is approaching the goals it set for itself, but another effort is needed."
Israel had formerly claimed that Operation Cast Lead is aimed at weakening the government of Hamas and 'halting rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip'.
Israeli towns, however, are still being hit by Palestinian rockets, and Hamas fighters are intensifying attacks on Israeli tanks and aircraft in the Gaza Strip.
Earlier in the day Palestinian fighters targeted an Israeli aircraft, while the Israeli military confirmed that Hamas had used an anti-aircraft missile for the first time since the start of Operation Cast Lead on December 27.
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Topic: Israel: Gaza offensive nearing its end (Read 367 times)