Bombs rain on Gaza after brief lull
Gaza medical officials say 213 Palestinians have been killed so far, including 61 kids and 36 women
Israel bombarded Gaza with airstrikes and Palestinian militants resumed cross-border rocket fire on Tuesday after a brief overnight lull during which the United Nations managed to send a small fuel convoy into the enclave.
Israeli leaders said they would press on, for now, with an offensive to destroy the capabilities of the armed factions Hamas and Islamic Jihad, amid calls by the US and other world powers for an end to the conflict.
“The fighting will not cease until we bring total and longterm quiet,” Israeli defence minister Benny Gantz said in a video statement, blaming Hamas for the worst escalation in Israelipalestinian fighting in years. Hamas began firing rockets eight days ago in retaliation for what it said were Israeli rights abuses against Palestinians in Jerusalem.
Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and Israel’s 21% Arab minority staged a general strike on Tuesday in solidarity. “It allows the other side, the Jews, to realise the big impact of the Arabs,” Diaa Rabaya’a, 23, said at Damascus Gate between East Jerusalem and the Old city. “Any day, they choose not to work, it almost disables the country.”
Gaza medical officials say 213 Palestinians have been killed, including 61 children and 36 women. Israeli authorities say ten people have been killed in Israel, including two children.
Nearly 450 buildings in the Gaza strip have been destroyed or badly damaged, including six hospitals and nine primary care health centres, the UN humanitarian agency said.
Israel said more than 3,450 rockets have been launched at it from Gaza, some falling short and others shot down by its Iron Dome air defences. It says its forces have killed around 130 Hamas fighters and another 30 from Islamic Jihad.
The Israeli bombardment of Gaza, Ramadan clashes between police and worshippers at
Al-aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem and a court case by Israeli settlers to evict Palestinians from Sheikh Jarrah in East Jerusalem have caused anger among Palestinians.
Calling Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu on Monday night, US President Joe Biden again said Israel had the right to defend itself against indiscriminate rocket attacks but encouraged it to make every effort to protect civilians, the White House said.
Egypt and UN mediators also stepped up diplomatic efforts, while the UN General Assembly will meet to discuss the violence on Thursday.