Israel's armed forces held a war game to simulate a takeover of the Gaza Strip.
Combined units from various Israeli military corps held a four-day drill in the southern desert this week aimed at anticipating the challenges of a large-scale Gaza invasion.
In addition to crushing Hamas, Israeli forces would be called upon in such a situation to stop cross-border rocket fire by Palestinian terrorists while ensuring that humanitarian supplies continue to reach the civilian population.
According to military officials, Israel could assume control over Gaza within a relatively short time, though the operation would mean dozens of soldiers killed and approximately a 10-fold death toll on the Palestinian side.
The military described the war game as a routine drill, and Defense Ministry sources said no sweep of Gaza is believed to be imminent.
