Israel Yet To Achieve Objective In Gaza -Minister

`The fundamental objective is to change the reality of security for the south,` Barak said.

Israel's offensive in the Gaza Strip has inflicted heavy damage on Hamas and will continue until nearby Israeli communities are deemed to be safe from attack, Defence Minister Ehud Barak said on Monday.

"Hamas as so far sustained a very heavy blow from us, but we have yet to achieve our objective and therefore the operation continues," Barak said on Israeli radio before briefing parliament's Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee.

"The fundamental objective is to change the reality of security for the south," Barak said, referring to Israeli towns that have come under Palestinian rocket attack from Gaza.

As part of an eventual halt to the fighting, Israel is seeking help from international and regional partners to increase security along Gaza's border with Egypt to prevent Hamas from rebuilding tunnels and rearming.

"It is clear Hamas cannot be allowed to rearm and we have to find workable solutions to prevent that rearming. And here our international and regional partners have a role to play," said Mark Regev, spokesman for Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy was due to meet Israeli leaders later on Monday as part of a Middle East tour aimed at pushing international calls for a ceasefire.