First Published 2009-01-05
Was targeting civilians and places of worship part of the training?
Israeli army trained for 18 months for Gaza assault
Israeli army trained for ground attack on Gaza City model built in Negev desert of southern Israel.
TEL AVIV - The Israeli army trained for its ground attack against Gaza for 18 months on a model of the main city built at a desert army base, a military spokesman said Sunday.
"Our soldiers know all the back streets where their targets are," military spokesman Avi Benayahou told Israeli public television.
"For a year and a half our soldiers trained on a reduced model of Gaza City built on the Tsehilim base" in the Negev desert of southern Israel, near the frontier with Gaza, he added.
Gaza City was virtually surrounded on Sunday, one day after tens of thousands of Israeli forces entered the territory.
"We have already dealt some very major blows on Hamas but we will have to hit again and the operation could take time," the spokesman said without giving details. | 
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