While the security cabinet remains deadlocked over what course of action to take against the ongoing rocket attacks against Israel by terror groups in Gaza, IDF forces operating in northern Gaza on
Wednesday morning have already uncovered four Qassam rocket launchers.
A small force composed of infantry, armored forced and military engineers advanced half a mile into Gaza and dismantled the launchers. The army said that the operation was similar to recent limited operations. Two months ago infantry troops uncovered nine rocket launchers in northern Gaza.
Senior officials in Jerusalem estimated earlier in the day that the cabinet would not authorize a large-scale military operation in Gaza at the present time. Some of the ministers proposed taxing Gaza for the Qassams through sanctions.
After Palestinian groups fired rockets into Israel, they proposed, Israel would cut off its supply of electricity, water for several hours and close down the border crossings.
Meanwhile the increased Qassam attacks prompted Defense Minister Ehud Barak to declare a 'special situation on the home front' in the Gaza vicinity area on Tuesday.
The "special situation" status is a legal term that allows the security establishment to wield a widerjurisdiction over civilian matters such as opening or closing schools and factories.
This way a single unifying administration would be formed to concentrate all civilian affairs, but elected officials would be included in any decision-making.