Gaza City (CNN) -- The Israeli military launched a ground operation into Gaza late Thursday and called an extra 18,000 reservists into the conflict with Hamas. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon ordered the ground action to destroy tunnels from Gaza into Israeli territory, according to a statement from Netanyahu's media adviser. Thirteen Hamas militants used a tunnel earlier Thursday to launch an attempted attack in Sufa, near an Israeli kibbutz, but were stopped by Israeli soldiers, the Israel Defense Forces reported. CNN's Wolf Blitzer asked Mark Regev, Netanyahu's spokesman, whether Israel planned to occupy Gaza for a long time.
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IDF: "We have hit Hamas hard, and we will continue to hit Hamas hard"
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Hamas condemns Israel for launching ground action
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Operation follows 10 days of airstrikes and bombings
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Palestinian security sources say airstrikes killed 7 children
Palestinian
In late 2008 and early 2009, Israel carried out airstrikes and then a ground offensive against Hamas in Gaza that killed hundreds of @placeholder.
Gaza City
Gaza
Gaza
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During Thursday's temporary cease-fire, @placeholder banks opened for the first time in 10 days.