8:42PM IL: Defense Minister Ehud Barak at this time is briefing Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and opposition leader Binyamin Netanyahu on the ground forces stage of Operation Cast Lead, which began a short time ago.

An unspecified number of soldiers have crossed into Gaza as the operations moves into a new stage after eight days of the air force, navy and artillery forces bombarding terror targets in Hamas-controlled Gaza.

(Motzei Shabbos Eretz Yisrael  – Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)