The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) will call 6,500 reservists to duty, as part of the Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip, local daily Ha'aretz reported Sunday on its website.

During Sunday's cabinet meeting, the proposal, which was brought up by Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak, was approved by cabinet ministers, said the report.

Israeli defense officials said some reservists had already been mobilized to help protect communities on the Gaza border from retaliatory Palestinian rocket salvos.

New reservists would help complete the IDF' preparations for a possible escalation of the fighting, an Israeli official said.

Meanwhile, hundreds of IDF infantry and armored corps troops headed for the Gaza Strip border early Sunday in preparation for a possible ground invasion, Israeli military officials was quoted by Ha'aretz as saying.

On Saturday, Barak told Sky News that he would not rule out widening the offensive in Gaza to include a ground invasion.

"There is a time for calm and a time for fighting, and now the time has come to fight," said the defense minister.

Asked whether Israel would follow up Saturday's air strikes with a ground offensive, Barak said that "If boots on the ground will be needed, they will be there."

The IDF carried out massive air strikes against dozens of targets in Gaza early Saturday, reportedly killing more than 200 people and injuring another several hundred in response to Hamas ongoing cross-border rockets attacks.

The strike, called "Cast Lead" operation, significantly damaged Hamas' command and control capabilities, said local news service Ynet.

However, the IDF said on Sunday that it was too early to declare the victory of Israel's operation in Gaza.

IDF sources said that so far, Hamas' response to Israel's aerial attack of strategic targets in Gaza was relatively restrained, despite the rocket fire of short-range and Grad rockets, adding that there was a possibility for a massive response from Hamas.

It was far too early to assume Hamas has been subdued, said the IDF, noting that the militant group still has the capacity to shoot heavy barrages of rockets, as well as to attempt attacks along the fence between Gaza and Israel, and in Israel itself.

(Xinhua News Agency December 28, 2008)