Israeli military announces readiness to invade Gaza

The preparations for a mass invasion of Gaza are complete, said an Israeli source on Thursday. Israeli officials said the thousands of troops and dozens of tanks currently stationed on the Gaza border are not going to launch an invasion unless Palestinian resistance factions fire homemade shells across the border first.

Israeli tanks

The Israeli daily newspaper Maariv reported that the chances of a major Israeli incursion into the Gaza Strip have increased now the Annapolis conference is over.

An Israeli military spokesman said that “the Israeli response will come swiftly” if any projectiles are fired across the border. All troops are trained and ready for an invasion, according to the Israeli army.

Israeli forces have killed ten Palestinians in Gaza over the last week, by air strikes and missiles fired from ships stationed offshore.

An outright invasion of Gaza, one of the most crowded places on earth, would likely result in much higher casualties.