Israel launches ground assault on Gaza

Thousands of Israeli soldiers backed by tanks have entered the Gaza Strip, escalating a 10-day campaign of heavy air bombardment to try to destroy Hamas' arsenal, rocket-firing abilities and the tunnels militants use to infiltrate the Jewish state.

Thousands of Israeli soldiers backed by tanks have entered the Gaza Strip, escalating a 10-day campaign of heavy air bombardment.

Israel's military said a soldier had been killed in the operation. The circumstances of his death were not immediately clear.