Two IDF soldiers seriously wounded, 9 lightly in Gaza fighting

[laststeamtrain]

Source: Haaretz

Two IDF soldiers seriously wounded, 9 lightly in Gaza fighting
By Amos Harel, Yoav Stern and Yanir Yagana, Haaretz Correspondents, and News Agencies


Israel entered the second week of its offensive against rockets from Hamas-ruled Gaza on Saturday evening by launching a much-expected ground operation into the coastal strip.

Two Israel Defense Forces soldiers were seriously wounded by a Palestinian mortar in the northern Gaza Strip before dawn on Sunday. Nine soldiers suffered light injuries. Initial reports from both Israel and Gaza indicated that IDF troops had killed dozens of Hamas gunmen as they traded heavy fire upon entering the Strip.

"The objective is to destroy the Hamas terror infrastructure in the area of operations," said Israel Defense Forces Major Avital Leibovitch, a military spokeswoman, confirming that incursions were under way. "We are going to take some of the launch areas used by Hamas."

The IDF Spokesperson's office issued a statement, emphasizing that this stage of the operation will further the goals of the eight-day offensive as voiced by the IDF until now: To strike a direct and hard blow against the Hamas while increasing the deterrent strength of the IDF, in order to bring about an improved and more stable security situation for residents of Southern Israel over the long term.


Read more: http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1052299.html

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Update: Channel Two reported that 28 Israel Defense Forces soldiers were wounded, two of them seriously, in the Gaza Strip before dawn on Sunday.

[rockymountaindem]

1. So are we to assume that the earlier Hamas report of having killed 9 IDF troops was a lie?

If so that is good news.

[laststeamtrain]

2. I'm against ASSuming but be my guest. n/t

[The Magistrate]

3. No Initial Reports From Any Side Can Be Taken As Accurate, Sir

Facts will emerge from the welter only in the passage of time.

Everyone thinks they killed more of the enemy than they actually did; everyone tries to minimize report of their own casualties.

[Libertas1776]

4. ...

Only when the IDF troops start coming back in body bags will the political climate turn against the Israeli government. History in this region likes to repeat itself.