OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, (PIC)-- Israeli premier Ehud Olmert is to head a consultative meeting grouping him with war minister Ehud Barak and foreign minister Tzipi Livni on Tuesday to decide whether to launch a large-scale offensive on Gaza Strip, the Hebrew radio reported on Monday.
The radio quoted Israeli political sources as saying that Barak is adamant on launching a "severe military offensive" against the Strip and the Hamas Movement before approving any calm with the Palestinian resistance factions.
They said that the army was ready for the onslaught, which would include aerial attacks along with a ground invasion that would occupy certain areas in the Strip for a long period.
The sources said that the consultations on Tuesday would decide whether Israel would launch the offensive or accept calm with Hamas, "which controls the Strip".
However, Israeli army sources said that it was premature to discuss a large-scale attack on the Strip. Hebrew daily 'Ha'aretz' quoted those sources as saying that the matter was not as "imminent" as published by the media.
They said that negotiations with Hamas would continue for the next few weeks but if the missiles continued to fall on Israeli targets then Israel would decide new steps.
The sources said that the army did not reinforce its troops stationed on the Gaza borders and no reservists were summoned. They said that the Israeli air force and ground forces might gradually escalate attacks.
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