Tension spikes near the Gaza border, as Israel battles Hamas fighters.<br /> <br />It's here that Israeli reserve troops gather in an effort to step up their ground offensive, with artillery, tanks and gunboats.<br /> <br />Israel says it's adding 18,000 reservists to the 30,000 already mobilized.<br /> <br />(SOUNDNBITE) (Hebrew) ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU SAYING:<br /> <br />"My instructions and the defense minister's to the army, with the approval of the security cabinet, is to prepare for the possibility of a widening, a significant widening of the ground operation, and the chief of staff and the Israeli army are prepared accordingly."<br /> <br />This comes a day after at least 27 Palestinians were killed, according to Palestinian health officials, when Israel's infantry and tank assault began in the Gaza Strip.<br /> <br />As Palestinians drape Hamas flags over their victims and hail them as martyrs, a Hamas spokesman says Israel must pay.<br /> <br />(SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) HAMAS SPOKESMAN IN GAZA, SAMI ABU
