The IDF struck numerous targets in Gaza on Sunday night including an anti-aircraft battery and several smuggling tunnels.
On Monday morning, Hamas launched 18 rockets against Israeli towns and population centers and another 30 rockets in the afternoon, including a Grad rocket which hit an empty Ashdod kindergarten.
Ynet's Hanan Greenberg outlines the 'Root Canal' phase of Gaza operations:
Some 40 soldiers were wounded in clashes, and over 50 Palestinian gunmen were killed in the first day of the fighting, according to the Israeli army.
The Israel Air Force struck some 30 targets in the Gaza Strip on Sunday night...
Since entering the Strip, tanks and armored vehicles have been moving towards their pre-set destinations. According to the IDF, the forces are now facing their main mission to conduct a 'root canal' treatment on the terror infrastructure in Gaza, and to search and destroy rocket launching pads and terrorists...
Decline in Rocket Fire
Defense establishment officials estimated Sunday that the ground incursion has led to a reduction of long-range rocket fire into Israel, and added that should the operation continue as planned, rocket fire at Ashdod, Netivot, Beersheba and Ofakim would be substantially reduced soon.
However, they stressed that Hamas was still capable of targeting these towns.
On Sunday's cabinet meeting, the ministers were informed that 220 of the 300 rockets fired on Israel's south in the last week 73% - were launched from areas that have been seized by the army in the last 24 hours.
This fact, coupled with the shutting down of a great number of the tunnels used for smuggling weapons and the heavy damages inflicted on Hamas' arms storages, workshops and rocket production facilities, has contributed to the decrease in rocket fire on Israel.
However, security officials believe that the terror group still posses a great number of short-range rockets. It is also possible that Hamas has reduced rocket fire for tactical reasons and will resume the attacks at a later stage of the fighting...
Another objective of the forces is to arrest Hamas operatives in Gaza and bring them for questioning in Israel. This is aimed to serve two purposes: Obtaining new intelligence from the detainees that could be used by the forces on the ground; and using the captives as bargaining chips in future negotiations...
Meanwhile, the transferring of humanitarian aid into the Strip is expected to be renewed Monday after being halted during the first day of the ground operation.
Note that last line: While Israel is conducting the 'root canal' treatment of Operation Cast Lead in Gaza with one hand it is still feeding the Gazans with the other.
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