Israel Pushes Deeper Into Gaza

Seeking to step up the campaign, Israel plugged thousands of Israel Defense Forces reservists into the battle zone, as other troops pushed even further into the suburbs of Gaza City after more than a week of holding back in areas outside the crowded urban centers.

In specially built mock Palestinian towns, Israel has been training thousands of reservists to combat Hamas in house-to-house fighting.

Drawing the Israel Defense Forces into close combat is precisely what Hamas is hoping for, Israeli officials say. Gaza's narrow streets and buildings packed with civilians will significantly diminish Israel's superior firepower and air cover; they are also where Hamas street fighters will put up stiff resistance.

"IDF [Israel Defense Forces] soldiers will encounter face-to-face combat with Hamas, including booby traps in houses, anti-tank rockets and roadside bombs," army spokesman Benjamin Silberman told ABC News. "Everything that Hamas has they will use against us."

Aided by allies in Iran and Lebanon, Israel says, Hamas militants have turned Gaza's urban areas into a deadly killing ground of tunnels and booby traps. According to the Israel Defense Forces, militants have been firing from mosques, schoolyards and civilian homes.

"Everybody knows these things can be messy and complicated," said Silberman.

On Sunday, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Israel is very close to achieving three key goals: the destruction of Hamas' military capabilities, an end to the rocket fire and preventing Hamas from rearming.

Conditions inside Gaza continue to deteriorate, with food and water becoming scarce, and electricity all but nonexistent. The Israeli offensive has killed more than 900 Palestinians in 17 days, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry in Gaza.

Five people living in the house avoided injury by fleeing to a bomb shelter just before the strike.

Schools in Ashkelon remain partially open during the hostilities, but only to teenagers studying for final exams. Students are taught in basement classrooms and sheltered areas of the school that are reinforced against missile attack.