Israel adds reserve forces to Gaza offensive

THOUSANDS of Israeli reservists began moving into the Gaza Strip yesterday, signalling that Israel could be ready to escalate its campaign against Palestinian militants.

The military announced earlier that it had begun sending reserve units into Gaza to assist the thousands of ground forces already in the Hamas-ruled territory.

The deployment of reservists, many in their late 20s and 30s, was the strongest sign that Israel was prepared to intensify its war against Gaza’s Hamas rulers.