The Israeli army is prepared for a ground operation in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip, pending a decision by the political echelon, Israeli Chief of General Staff Lt. Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi was quoted by Army Radio as saying on Wednesday.
"We are prepared for the possibility of an operation, if it becomes necessary," Ashkenazi said. "Until then it is incumbent upon us to exhaust all of the other methods and act day and night in order to provide security."
However, Ashkenazi said that implementation of a military operation in Gaza is complicated.
The chief of staff also commented on the Second Lebanon War last summer between Israel and Lebanese Shiite group Hezbollah, saying that mismanagement within top army brass caused problems.
"The problem was more with the management, with us, in the way we handled it," Ashkenazi said, adding that while the soldiers were not always sufficiently trained, they went into battle with the best of their abilities.
Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak has repeatedly said that the time for a widespread ground invasion of Gaza is drawing closer.
But on Tuesday, he said now it is not the time for a broad operation, which would likely result in heavy casualties to the Israeli soldiers and Palestinian civilians.
Source: Xinhua
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