TEL AVIV, September 5 (RIA Novosti) - The Israeli government has said it is not planning any major military incursion into the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip any time soon, regardless of ongoing rocket fire from the territory, local radio reported.
A high-level meeting of Israeli government and military officials convened Wednesday in response to the continued firing of Qassam rockets by Palestinian militants into the southern Israeli city of Sderot.
During the meeting, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert directed military commanders to take measures to end the barrages, but ruled out any immediate incursion by Israeli ground forces.
However, the ministers did not exclude a possible cutoff of electricity, water and fuel oil to the territory if the situation does not improve.
Over 1.5 million Palestinians live in the Gaza Strip, which was seized recently by the radical Hamas movement following street fighting with supporters of the more moderate Fatah movement that left hundreds dead.
