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Israel's military begins calling up 16,000 reservists

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An Israeli soldier (R) and a civilian survey the damage to a car after a rocket fired from Gaza landed in the southern city of Ashdod November 16, 2012. REUTERS/Amir Cohen

An Israeli soldier (R) and a civilian survey the damage to a car after a rocket fired from Gaza landed in the southern city of Ashdod November 16, 2012.

Credit: Reuters/Amir Cohen

JERUSALEM | Fri Nov 16, 2012 1:56am EST

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel has started drafting 16,000 reserve troops, the military said on Friday, in a sign that violence could escalate further with Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip.

Israel's two-day assault on Gaza has largely been from the air, but officials have said a ground incursion could be necessary to stem rocket fire into southern Israel.

Israel's army would be heavily dependent on reservists to fight any prolonged war. The military has received a green light to call in up to 30,000 reserve troops.

The Israeli air strikes have so far killed 19 Palestinians, including seven militants and 12 civilians, among them six children and a pregnant woman. A Hamas rocket killed three Israelis in the town of Kiryat Malachi on Thursday morning.

(Reporting by Ari Rabinovitch; editing by Crispian Balmer)
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Comments (4)
americanguy wrote:
Yes indeed, preganant women and little children are the biggest threat to Israel. Nothing worse than a 3 year old firing rockets into Israel.
No wonder they had to call up reservists.

Nov 16, 2012 7:12am EST  --  Report as abuse
Lowell_Thinks wrote:
American guy, if you are going to do the Leftist 101 act, at least learn to spell. Do you really think that children and pregnant women are targeted? Or could it be that the terrorists use them for cover?

Nov 16, 2012 11:08am EST  --  Report as abuse
TheUSofA wrote:
Lowell, shut up with your own “Leftist 101″ garbage. Or are you from the famed Rightist 101 act that was thumping up and down about WMDs in Iraq? You know the brainless twits that never look at any issue in proper context or with reason. Or are we sticking with, he bad, he good, because me say so! And they say so on TV me watch.

Nov 16, 2012 12:20pm EST  --  Report as abuse
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