MID: Israel says Gaza war nearing end as fighting rages
12 Jan 2009 12:14 AM
Israel has indicated for the first time that an end is in sight to its war on Hamas .. as the death toll nears 900 in the Gaza Strip.
Infantry units backed by tanks have pushed deeper into Gaza's main city .. sparking some of the fiercest battles yet in the 16-day-old war.
But Israeli officials say the Jewish state is nearing the end of its deadliest ever offensive in the Palestinian enclave .. despite having waved off a UN Security Council resolution calling for a halt to the fighting.
The conflict has sparked worldwide protests .. including rallies in Europe that drew tens of thousands of protesters.