Israel's Military Called Up An Additional 16,000 Additional Reservists

Israel's military called up an additional 16,000 additional reservists, taking their total to 86,000, as military operations in the Gaza Strip continue, an army spokeswoman said Thursday.

"The army has issued 16,000 additional mobilization orders to allow troops on the ground to rest, which takes the total number of reservists to 86,000," said the spokeswoman, according to the French news agency AFP.

Israel's security cabinet, which met for five hours Wednesday, unanimously decided to pursue attacks against Hamas "terrorist targets" and other operations to destroy a network of tunnels used by the Islamist movement between Gaza and Israel, public radio said.

Another meeting of the cabinet, which comprises eight ministers, will be held Thursday afternoon, the radio added.

Meanwhile, Israel pressed ahead with its Gaza offensive saying it was days from achieving its core goal of destroying all Islamist guerrilla cross-border attack tunnels, but a soaring Palestinian civilian toll has triggered international alarm.

While Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's security cabinet on Wednesday approved continuing the assault, Israel also sent a delegation to Egypt, which has been trying, with Washington's blessing, to broker a cease-fire.

Gaza officials said at least 1,361 Palestinians, most of them civilians, have now been killed in the battered enclave. Israel has lost 56 soldiers to Gaza clashes and three civilians to Palestinian shelling.

Early Thursday, plumes of smoke could be seen rising above Gaza City following another night of airstrikes and heavy tank shelling by Israel. 

The sound of explosions and planes flying overhead continued to be heard across the city as the sun rose. 

Overnight, several large explosions lit up the sky. 

The Israeli military said it is targeting Hamas command centers, rocket launchers and weapons arsenals.