The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Sunday has begun sending its reservists into the Gaza Strip, signaling an expansion of the IDF ground incursion in the Hamas-ruled coastal enclave.

An IDF spokesman told Xinhua some reservists have already entered Gaza and others will go afterwards. He declined to say how many reservists will go into the Strip.

A weapons system fired by Israeli forces explodes over the northern Gaza Strip January 10, 2009. Israeli tanks advanced on Gaza and Hamas militants fired rockets at Israel on Saturday, as both sides ignored international calls to stop the conflict and Israel warned it would escalate its assault. [Xinhua/Reuters]

It was the first time that the IDF deployed reservists into Gaza since it began the Cast Lead Operation, which entered the 16th day on Sunday, killing more than 900 Palestinians.

The move does not necessarily mean that the IDF has begun the third phase of the operation, noted the spokesman.

The first phase, beginning on Dec. 27, was the massive air strike on Hamas targets throughout Gaza. Phase Two was the entrance of IDF ground troops on Jan. 3, and the third phase is believed to be an expansion of the ground incursion, possibly into the densely populated area of Gaza City.

A trail of smoke is seen after the launch of a rocket from the northern Gaza Strip towards Israel January 10, 2009. Israeli tanks advanced on Gaza and Hamas militants fired rockets at Israel on Saturday, as both sides ignored international calls to stop the conflict and Israel warned it would escalate its assault.[Xinhua/Reuters]??

The operation will continue as long as it is needed, and will be enhanced if IDF is required to do so, said the spokesman, adding that the aim is to deal Hamas a harsher blow.

About a week ago, Israeli government announced that it had approved call-up of tens of thousands of reservist soldiers, ordering the IDF "to draft the necessary reservists, on a scale of tens of thousands of troops."

The announcement was made almost simultaneously with the launch of the Gaza ground incursion, which aimed at halting rocket fire on Israel's southern communities.

Roughly a week before the announcement, nearly 10,000 reservists had already been called up in a previous order by Israeli defense establishment.

The deployment of reservists into Gaza came hours after Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said that the IDF is approaching goals set for the Cast Lead Operation.

He said at the start of the weekly cabinet meeting that it is time to "translate our accomplishments into attaining our goals," stressing that what had been achieved so far in an "unprecedented effort" must not be lost at the last moment.

"Israel is approaching the goals it set for itself, but we require further patience, determination and effort so that our citizens can feel safety and stability," said the prime minister.

"The Israeli public, especially the residents of the south, have the requisite patience and willingness -- so does the government," he said.

Olmert also hit back at the mounting international criticism of the IDF operation in Gaza, saying that "No country in the world --not even those who preach morality to us -- would have shown similar patience and self-control."

"We have never agreed that someone should decide for us if we are allowed to strike at those who bomb kindergartens and schools and we will never agree to this in the future," he said.

Olmert defended Israeli security cabinet's decision to continue the Gaza operation in spite of Thursday's UN Security Council resolution which called for an immediate and durable ceasefire.

On Friday, Israeli security cabinet decided to continue the IDF operation, but not to expand it at this stage.

"I must note that UN Resolution 1860 also sharply rules out continued attacks directed against civilians and does not forbid urgent action against them," he said.

Despite Olmert's confidence in achieving the operation goals, there is apparently much difficulty for the IDF operation.

Hamas will continue to fight though the militant group was badly hit by the IDF operation, Major General Amos Yadlin, head of IDF military intelligence warned on Sunday.

According to Yadlin, who briefed Israeli cabinet ministers on the Gaza operation, there were cracks in Hamas' resilience, its disconnected leadership in Syria, and its waning public support following the extensive Israeli attacks on the group.

The general predicted that while Hamas realized that it had no choice but to reach a compromise with Israel, it was not about to surrender, and was still capable of striking Israel and the IDF.

On Sunday, Palestinian militants in Gaza continued to exchange fire with the IDF as well as firing rockets into southern Israel. Since the operation, 13 Israelis have been killed, including four killed in rocket attacks and nine soldiers killed in Gaza ground battle.

(Xinhua News Agency January 12, 2009)