One Israeli security source told Reuters a ground offensive now looked inevitable. One Israeli security source, who like others declined to be named, said he believed an Israeli ground invasion was "not preventable because of the heavy price that we paid. Smashing up roads has been a typical tactic in the prelude to two previous Israeli ground assaults in Gaza, disrupting communications and the movement of Hamas and other militants. Giora Eiland, a former head of Israel's National Security Council, said airstrikes in Gaza "seemed very similar to previous Israeli operations" but that these tactics had not neutralised Hamas in the past. Hamas has already proved to be a tougher and more capable force than Israel had expected by launching its Oct. 7 attack.

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Persons: Yamen Hamad, Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, Giora, Eiland, Gilad Shalit, Talal Okal, Amir, David Tzur, Nidal al, Jonathan Saul, Edmund Blair Organizations: Palestinian, Hamas, Reuters, Israel's National Security Council, Foreign, Israel's Border Police, Thomson Locations: Israel, Israel JERUSALEM, GAZA, Gaza, Beit Hanoun, Gaza's, Iran, Jerusalem