TEL AVIV, Israel — Israeli troops remained on the ground in the Gaza Strip Saturday as part of what military officials have described as an "expansion" of ground operations, marking a significant escalation in Israel's war with the militant group Hamas that began earlier this month.
For the last several days, the Israel Defense Forces had mounted a series of limited incursions into Gaza, in which soldiers left soon after entering. But Saturday's announcement was the first extended presence of Israeli troops in the territory.
