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Israel PM warns of 'long, difficult war'

(UPDATE) JERUSALEM: Israeli forces battled holdout Hamas fighters and pounded targets in the Gaza Strip Sunday as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned of a 'long and difficult' war ahead sparked by the Palestinian militant group's massive surprise attack.

The Israeli army said tens of thousands of soldiers were deployed to fight militants in southern desert regions near the coastal enclave, to rescue Israeli hostages and then evacuate the entire region within 24 hours.