Gaza rockets land near Jerusalem as fears of ground offensive grow
The US was scrambling to prevent a further escalation of what it described as a "very, very dangerous situation" in Gaza . Britain warned that a ground invasion could cost Israel international support, the Guardian reports.
But concerns that Netanyahu is preparing to escalate the assault were strengthened as he held a strategy session with senior ministers. Also, the size of the call up is on a scale comparable to Israel's invasion of Lebanon six years ago, and several times larger than the number of reservists drafted during the last major incursion into Gaza in 2008. Tanks were seen gathering near the Gaza border, and roads in the area were closed to Israeli civilians.
Israel's deputy foreign minister, Danny Ayalon, told CNN that a ground invasion could come before the end of the weekend if the rocket attacks continue.
"We don't want to get into Gaza if we don't have to. But if they keep firing at us ... a ground operation is still on the cards," he said. "If we see in the next 24 to 36 hours more rockets launched at us, I think that would be the trigger."
Neither side appeared to be attempting to pull back as Israel killed a commander in Hamas' military wing, Ahmed Abu Jalal. Militants in Gaza kept up rocket attacks, including the firing of one Hamas said was aimed at the Israeli parliament in Jerusalem which fell several miles short of the city. Israeli officials called that attack an "escalation".
Jerusalem is about 50 miles from Gaza - the maximum reach of the most powerful rockets in the Hamas arsenal.
As stakes in the conflict rose for the third day, the IDF said about 550 rockets had been fired from Gaza since the start of its military offensive against Gaza, called Operation Pillar of Defence, on Wednesday. A third were intercepted by its Iron Dome defence system.
The Israelis hit more than 600 targets in Gaza over the same period. Eighty-five targets were hit in 45 minutes in the early hours of Friday morning in one of the most intensive periods of bombardment since the offensive began.
Palestinians said 29 people have been killed in Gaza, including 16 civilians. Among them were eight children and a pregnant woman. Three Israeli civilians have been killed by a rocket.
Washington moved on Friday to try to prevent a further escalation. The White House said Barack Obama spoke to Netanyahu and the Egyptian president, Mohamed Morsi, about de-escalating the violence while reiterating his support for Israel's right to defend itself. The president also spoke to Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the prime minister of Turkey, in the hope he could influence Hamas.
Britain's foreign secretary, William Hague, told the BBC that a ground invasion could cost Israel international support. "Israel does have to bear in mind that it is when ground invasions have taken place in previous conflicts that they have lost international support and a great deal of sympathy around the world."
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