Ground Forces Cross Border Into Gaza Strip

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Israeli Ground Forces Cross Border Into Gaza Strip
DEVELOPING: Israeli ground forces began moving across the border into the northern Gaza Strip in an escalation late Saturday night of the weeklong offensive against Hamas.

Israeli defense officials told FOX News that 20 Hamas militants had been killed in the incursion so far.

Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement saying that the new offensive was the "second phase" of its battle to disable Hamas while pledging to protect Palestinian civilians. Defense Minister Ehud Barak said Israel's campaign "won't be easy and it won't be short."

"We do not seek war but we will not abandon our citizens to the ongoing Hamas attacks," Barak said in a televised address.

Israeli airstrikes in the Gaza Strip had intensified Saturday evening, setting the stage for the incursion that comes despite international efforts to secure a cease-fire and avert a ground war between Israel and Hamas.

Israel launched the aerial campaign a week ago in a bid to halt weeks of intensifying Palestinian rocket fire from Gaza. The offensive has dealt a heavy blow to Hamas, but failed to halt the rocket

The aim of the ground offensive "is to make a dramatic change in the circumstances on the ground, whereby Israeli citizens on our side of the border will be able to resume living normally," Israeli Welfare Minister Isaac Herzog told FOX News.

"Right now we've started a ground operation, which is aimed at preventing missile launchings against Israel from various sites in Gaza Strip," Herzog said. "It may take time Hamas will try to show in their arrogant way that they are still around, and our aim is to protect our citizens like any normal society would do."